Resilience in the fields: A farmer's story of grit and growth
Behind every grain of rice is a battle with weather, rising costs and a system farmers must fight to survive
by SHAUQI WAHAB
WHILE most Malaysians gathered for festive meals this Hari Raya, rice farmer Mohd. Izuan Zainal Abidin was tending to his seven hectares of paddy in Selangor — safeguarding the harvest his family depends on.
A part-time farmer and full-time factory technician, Mohd. Izuan's bond with rice farming began as a boy, working alongside his late father. 'My father used to say rice doesn't grow in fields, it grows in hands,' he recalls. That wisdom continues to shape his relationship with the land.
Though he now works weekdays in a factory, Mohd. Izuan spends weekends fully immersed in paddy farming. His seven hectares may be modest, but they carry a legacy he holds dear.
Determined to produce high-quality fragrant rice, Mohd. Izuan invested in a lightweight harvester, avoiding damage to plants and earning consistently low paddy deductions by Padiberas Nasional Berhad (BERNAS).
'Most people see rice as just food, but for some of us, it is our livelihood,' he shared.
Farming has never been easy. Mohd. Izuan has battled floods, crop diseases, and volatile markets. A five-day flood last season destroyed his young seedlings, forcing him to replant by hand. 'I nearly gave up,' he admits. 'My returns weren't enough to cover the costs. It was the Covid-19 EPF withdrawal that helped me stay afloat.'
Today, Mohd. Izuan adapts his planting to weather forecasts and field conditions, managing pests and adjusting his sowing cycles. His ambition is to expand his land and improve yields through mechanisation and smarter farming practices.
Mohd. Izuan says most people see rice as just food, but for farmers, it is a livelihood
Support That Matters
What keeps him going, he says, is the steady support from the government and BERNAS. Through subsidies, drone services, affordable machinery rentals, and fertiliser assistance, Mohd. Izuan has been able to improve his harvest and income.
A key initiative is the Large-Scale Smart Paddy Field (SMART SBB) programme, led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security with BERNAS' operational support. It consolidates small farms for more efficient land use and provides shared resources, technology and training
The programme aims to significantly boost domestic rice production and support the country's self-sufficiency level (SSL) targets for rice.
This is achieved through the consolidation of smaller rice fields within an area under a centralised farm management system, allowing for more effective use of resources, optimising land usage and adoption of best agricultural practices.
BERNAS also provides training and education programmes, incentives for improved yields and projects to reduce the threat of rice field rats, among others, for farmers. This support, though not always seen or heard, plays an important background role in stabilising the system.
'BERNAS has made a real difference,' Mohd. Izuan says. 'From rental of machines to technical advice — they've been with us when it matters.'
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced additional special assistance totalled at RM90 million through BERNAS, providing farmers like Mohd. Izuan with crucial tools and inputs during a difficult season.
Feeding a Nation, One Harvest at a Time
This Hari Raya Haji, as the fields fall silent and the day's work yields to celebration, Mohd. Izuan joins his kampung's korban ceremony with profound gratitude. He savours moments with loved ones — his children's laughter echoing through the rice stalks — and reflects on a year of challenges overcome.
Each grain on our festive table carries the sweat, skill and spirit of a resilient farmer whose journey from a schoolboy apprentice to a visionary steward of Selangor's paddy lands embodies hope against the odds.
Each grain on our festive table carries the sweat, skill and spirit of a resilient farmer whose journey from a schoolboy apprentice to a visionary steward of Selangor's paddy lands embodies hope against the odds.
For Mohd. Izuan, rice farming isn't just a livelihood — it's a legacy.
'When I see people enjoying rice at restaurants, I feel proud,' he says. 'It's the result of our hard work.'
As Malaysia strengthens its food security efforts, farmers like Mohd. Izuan remains central to that mission — quietly, steadily and with hands in the soil.
This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition
This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition
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