UNDERSTANDING PADDY PRODUCTIVITY AT MADA ESTATE FROM A SYSTEM DYNAMICS PERSPECTIVE: A MAPPING TOOL OF CAUSAL LOOP DIAGRAM

The Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) paddy estate project represents Malaysia’s national effort to enhance food security. However, the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) by Malaysia falls short of attaining the 10 MT/Ha paddy productivity potential. Amidst rising food insecurity, national efforts have focused on improving the efficiency of domestic productivity, this study specifically assessed factors influencing paddy productivity under the MADA estate project. Against the econometric technique, the causal loop diagram (CLD) in the system dynamics (SD) approach was used to analyse the systemic character of productivity and its drivers. The systemic relationship was explored using expert interviews and an extensive literature reviews. Findings established four major sub-systems of the rice value chain. These include paddy production, rice production, government subsidy and self-sufficiency level. The loop polarity feature was used to establish the causal relationships and directions of causality between the sub-systems. This study contributes directly to EPP10 and EPP11 of the ETP. As a result, it supports Malaysia’s effort towards strengthening food security and self-sufficiency.