MALAYSIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS

Consumers’ behavior towards instant coffee drinking in Malaysia

Mark Buda — 2025-08-01

Over the last decade or two, the amount of imported coffee beans has been increasing significantly with the development and expansion of coffee café outlets, the 3- in-1 coffee sachet producers, and the increasing demand for coffee by Malaysians. Understanding Malaysian consumers’ coffee-drinking behavior is important for manufacturers and marketers of coffee and coffee-related products to achieve success in the industry. The objective of this study is to disclose the behavior of coffee drinkers in Malaysia focusing on consumption trends and preferences. A survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire in Klang Valley, Selangor where a total of 500 respondents were selected using the systematic random sampling method. Descriptive analysis, factor analysis, and binary logistic regression were applied as analytical methods. The results of descriptive analysis indicate that 85.4% of the respondents are coffee drinkers, while 14.6% of the respondents are non-coffee drinkers. Factor analysis underlined six latent factors, which indicate each coffee drinker’s dimensional preference for instant coffee. The factors are price, convenience, product attribute, influence by others, and promotions. The binary logistic regression analysis shows that marital status, occupation, education, convenience, and influence by others are influential determinants of coffee preference between instant and other types of coffee. By identifying Malaysian consumer’s preferences, manufacturers, marketers and retailers can understand how they can attract Malaysian consumers to purchase more coffee. Furthermore, this study can enhance retailers’ marketing strategy to attract more consumers to purchase their instant coffee.

Impact of Productive Safety Net Program on Household Food Security in Kenna District, Konso Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Eyassu Gachira Yimenu — 2025-07-09

Abstract: Chronic food insecurity is one of the problems that has plagued millions of Ethiopians for centuries. To solve this problem, in 2005 the Ethiopian government, in collaboration with development partners, launched a social protection program called the Productive Safety Net Program. This study evaluated the impact of the Productive Safety Net program on household food security in the Konso Zone, Kenna District, Southern Ethiopia. Data were collected from a total of 264 selected households using a multistage sampling procedure. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to assess program impact on household food security. A logit model was used to analyze potential covariate variables that influence household participation in the Productive Safety Net program. The study found that having livestock, credit, and a large amount of cultivated land had a negative impact on people's willingness to participate in the productive safety net program. Conversely, positively influenced by shock experience and agricultural extension. The Propensity Score Matching (PSM) resulted in matching 125 control households with 130 treated households. In other words, matching comparisons based on outcome variables were performed on these households that shared similar pre-intervention characteristics except for participation in the program. According to the PSM results, the program intervention raised the beneficiary families' total income and calorie intake by 277.31 kcal per capita/AE/Day) and 1789.42 ETB, respectively, as compared to non-beneficiaries. This study demonstrated how the program had a considerable impact on household calorie consumption and income. As a result, the focus of the development intervention should be on linking PSNP support with income-generating activities, vocational training, and credit access; designing labor-intensive public works that build sustainable community assets; regularly assessing PSNP's impact on food security and making timely adjustments

Perceptions of Urban Agriculture (UA) Practices Among Malaysian Urban Dwellers: An Exploratory Study in Klang Valley

Ahmad Hanis Izani Abdul Hadi — 2025-08-20

Urban agriculture (UA) programs have experienced a significant rise in demand in Malaysia, particularly during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. Various initiatives by both governmental and non-governmental organizations have aimed to enhance public participation in UA practices. These efforts focus on raising awareness and highlighting the benefits of UA, such as lowering the cost of living for urban residents, providing access to safe and high-quality food, and strengthening social connections within urban communities. Studies indicate that understanding perceptions of an initiative or event is crucial for promoting its adoption. This forms the rationale for conducting the study, which aims to identify influential dimensions affecting perceptions of UA practices among urban settlements in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The study employed the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) method. An in-person survey was conducted among 875 respondents from various areas within Klang Valley were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The results reveal that perceptions of UA practices are shaped by six key factors: social and health impact, quantity and quality, environmental impact, economic impact, dietary preferences, and land utilization. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers to develop effective strategies, particularly in designing promotional campaigns to enhance participation in UA, especially among urban dwellers in Malaysia.

Socioeconomic Factors Influencing Non-Farm Income Diversification in Rural Nigeria: A Case Study of Yobe State

Nolila Mohd Nawi — 2025-07-22

This study examines the determinants of income diversification into non-farming sources among rural farmers, focusing on the influence of demographic and socio-economic factors such as age, gender, marital status, educational level, annual income, farming experience, farm size, and ownership status. Using primary data collected from rural households across six local government areas, the data was analysed using descriptive analysis and chi-square analysis. Chi-square (χ²) analysis was applied to assess the strength of association between these demographic factors and various sources of non-farming income source, including wage employment, self-employment, remittances, and income from livestock. Results indicate significant associations between each demographic factor and income diversification sources, with education, marital status, and income level showing the highest levels of influence. The findings reveal that small-scale farmers diversify their income to mitigate risks associated with agriculture and to achieve economic stability, with the most common sources being wage employment outside agriculture (38.5%) and self-employment (37.8%). This study highlights the role of education in expanding non-farm income opportunities while also illustrating the impact of gender, marital status, and land ownership on diversification sources. Based on these results, the study recommends enhanced access to education and vocational training, improved financial services, and policies that secure land tenure to support sustainable income diversification in rural areas. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of rural livelihood strategies, offering policy guidance to promote economic resilience and poverty reduction through non-farm income diversification.

Consumers’ Perceptions Towards Purchasing Organic Food in Klang Valley, Malaysia

Muaz Mahmud — 2025-08-12

Organic food in Malaysia remains a specialized market, despite its global growth driven by health, safety and environmental benefits. This industry is expanding rapidly, fueled by growing consumer awareness of wellness and environmental sustainability. It has developed into a promising sector with considerable revenue and strong growth potential. This study aims to examine consumers’ perceptions of purchasing organic food in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Data were collected from 201 respondents through convenience sampling, targeting both mall shoppers and online consumers in Klang Valley. The research focused on four independent variables: organic food accessibility, green advocacy, social norms and organic food production. Factor analysis revealed that all four variables have an underlying relationship with consumers’ perceptions of purchasing organic food. Among these variables, green advocacy was identified as the most significant factor influencing consumers' perceptions. In contrast, organic food production showed no significant relationship in determining factors affecting consumers' perceptions of purchasing organic food. This indicates that while consumers value green practices, the production aspect may not be a decisive factor for their purchasing decisions. The study's findings provide crucial insights for marketers and producers of organic food. By understanding consumer perceptions, they can develop targeted strategies to engage with their audience more effectively. Nonverbal communication methods, such as promoting sustainable practices and emphasizing health benefits, can play a critical role in connecting with consumers. These findings also encourage producers to align their marketing strategies with the factors that matter most to consumers, helping to promote the growth of the organic food market in Malaysia further.

Assessing Household Willingness to Pay for Compost Attributes from Food Waste

Hanna Zulaikha A Hadi Kamil — 2025-08-27

The production of solid waste continues to increase, and food waste is the most significant portion of solid waste. Given its negative impact on the environment, food waste has received attention and concern from many parties. This is because food waste increases costs associated with managing food waste in Malaysia and the emission of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Compared to other solid trash, food waste has a low recycling percentage rate. Converting food waste into compost could be one of the solutions to reduce the generation of solid waste. To ensure that the compost made from food waste is marketable, it is essential to determine the household’s willingness to pay (WTP) and its determinants. Therefore, this study aims to determine the households’ WTP for compost attributes from food waste and to identify socio-demographic factors that can influence households’ WTP for compost attributes. The data was collected among the households in Klang Valley, Malaysia, using a purposive sampling method, and 201 respondents completed the survey. A discrete choice experiment determined the households’ WTP for compost attributes from food waste. The results suggested that the households would pay more for certified compost than uncertified compost. The findings also indicated that households' WTP for compost attributes from food waste varied by gender and income level. Since the households were willing to pay more for compost attributes, this suggests that this product can be marketed, and this can be translated into business opportunities if the producers or marketers can respond to the demand of the households. The findings from this study can be used to design appropriate marketing strategies to promote compost from food waste.