Chapter 1 : Empirical studies of agriculture and aquaculture

Abstract

Growing awareness of national food security and sovereignty issues has generated a range of unprecedented challenges for the agricultural sector in Malaysia. Agriculture has always been connected to productivity. Agriculture and aquaculture are two of the most essential and productive sectors of any economy. The main objective of these two fields is to meet human demand for food through the cultivation of crops and the rearing of aquatic animals. This article delves into a compilation of various research studies conducted in the field of agriculture and aquaculture with a focus on enhancing production methods. The cultivation of crops and the raising of animals in order to produce food dates back many thousands of years, and although much has changed in the way food is produced, there are still many aspects of sustainable agriculture that have survived as essential features of production. Sustainable food production plays an important role in safeguarding the health of people and the environment, contributing significantly to employment and economic growth, and supporting social development. Sustainable agriculture is essential to overall food security and food safety. Sustainable agriculture contributes to food security when it increases productivity and promotes efficient use of resources; and to food safety when it reduces health hazards, such as the risk of bacterial contamination of crops and foods, caused by agrochemicals and other factors. Aquaculture is the farmed production of seafood like fish and crustaceans.