Balancing the scales: Achieving food security and environmental sustainability in Malaysia through integrated approaches and collaborative governance

Abstract

Food security and environmental sustainability are significant challenges in Malaysia. Malaysia intends to improve food security by expanding domestic food production and increasing access to nutritious food. However, the country also acknowledges the importance of environmental sustainability in protecting its various ecosystems and natural resources. The imbalance between food security and environmental sustainability faced environmental deterioration, water scarcity and pollution, biodiversity loss, greenhouse gas emissions, land use disputes, and food waste. This study explores the issues and challenges of balancing the need for food security and environmental sustainability. An in-depth interview was conducted with saturated data collection, compromising insights from five (5) respondents who are government officers related to food security and environmental sustainability. This study found that Malaysia has implemented several policies, integrated techniques, and collaborative solutions to promote sustainable agricultural systems and environmental preservation. These findings are crucial to balance the scales between food security and environmental sustainability.