The Need for Pro-smallholder Policy in Malaysia

Pro-poor policy has been the mantra for poverty eradication. However, “pro-smallholder development” policy may hold the key to equitable and sustainable growth in the agriculture and rural sectors where the majority of the poor are.

In the era of biases towards large scale farming and agribusinesses, “small farms” are seen as not holding economic sense anymore. Big is perceived as strong, competitive, and offers the advantages of economies of scale, all of which are lacking in small farms.