EMPOWERING FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND SECURITY IN MALAYSIA: A FRAMEWORK FOR RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE CHICKEN FARMING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES

Abstract

Malaysia experienced a shortage of chicken in 2022, leading to a surge in prices and significant strain on the broiler industry. At the same time, the supply chain of the industry was heavily controlled by cartels lead instability in the demand and supply of the industry. To overcome the issue Malaysia need to come out with an alternative model for the industry. One of the models that can be implemented is through the community's involvement in the industry. Therefore, this paper proposes a chicken farming framework that can reduce reliance on external sources and promote self-sufficiency and resilience among community members. It is developed based on a pilot project funded by the Ministry of Finance through a social enterprise development initiative, supported by the Johor State, Batu Pahat District Veterinary Office, local industry players, suppliers, and local entrepreneurs. The project is located in Parit Sulong, Batu Pahat, Johor with the involvement of 12 participants or small chicken farmers. Upon completion of three farming cycles, the participants were able to generate income increment from 5-10%. Based on that, this paper proposes a new framework focusing on empowering small-scale chicken farmers as new suppliers within the community through enhanced access to resources, capacity-building programs, and sustainable market integration initiatives. This framework can be used to support the sustainability the future of Malaysia's broiler supply chain.