Multiple driving forces of paddy land conversion: a lesson from Malaysia’s rice bowl state

Abstract

Land is an important but finite natural resource, crucial for numerous human activities such as for settlement, transportation, forestry, agriculture, animal husbandry, industry and recreation. Land can be seen as parallel to economic growth. With a rapid growth in development and urbanisation, there is an increase need for land and for that paddy land face with the paradox of allocation for agricultural and non-agricultural sector. The allocation of land for optimal agricultural use has become a paramount issue. This paper tries to analyse the revolution of paddy land in Kedah, what drives the conversion that resulted it, so that preservation mechanism on paddy land can be outlined in the future.