Land Conversion and Food Security in Sabah: A Dpsir-Based Empirical Assessment

Agricultural land conversion in Sabah poses an increasing challenge to regional food security, particularly in the context of rapid urbanisation, tenure vulnerabilities, and fragmented land governance. This study aims to examines the extent, patterns, and implications of agricultural land conversion in Sabah by analysing 36 verified conversion cases recorded in 2023, involving approximately 238.08 acres of land. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining descriptive analysis of verified land conversion records with qualitative document analysis of a rezoning appeal case in Papar. The study applies the Driving Forces–Pressures–State–Impact–Response (DPSIR) framework to systematically interpret the socio-economic, institutional, and governance dynamics influencing agricultural land loss. The findings show that urban expansion, speculative development, and housing demand act as key driving forces that generate pressures on agricultural land, particularly through rezoning applications and weak tenure safeguards. These pressures have weakened the state of agricultural land protection, especially for Native Title holdings, which appear particularly vulnerable to conversion. The impacts of this trend include the reduction of land available for food production, increasing pressure on local food systems, and heightened risks to Sabah’s food sovereignty. The Papar case further demonstrates how land designated for food security purposes may remain vulnerable to development pressure when institutional coordination and zoning enforcement are weak. Institutional responses, including zoning controls, departmental objections, and planning procedures, were found to be inconsistent and insufficient. The study underscores the need for stronger and more enforceable land governance mechanisms to protect agricultural land and strengthen food security in Sabah.

Agricultural Land Conversion, DPSIR Framework, Food Security, Land Use

1. Adelaja, A., Sullivan, K., & Hailu, Y. G. (2011). Endogenizing the planning horizon in urban fringe agriculture. Land Use Policy, 28(1), 66-75. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Asirvatham, R., Demi, S., & Ezezika, O. (2023). Are sub-Saharan African national food and agriculture policies nutrition-sensitive? A case study of Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, and South Africa. Agriculture & Food Security, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40066-022-00398-x [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Bogomazov, S., Lyandenburskaya, A., Levin, A., Efremova, E., & Tkachuk, O. (2021). Real-time monitoring of agricultural land using GIS technology. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 839(3), 032025. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/839/3/032025 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Caldwell, W., Epp, S., Wan, X., Singer, R., Drake, E., & Sousa, E. (2022). Farmland preservation and urban expansion: Case study of southern Ontario, Canada. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2022.777816 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. CGIAR. (2023, December 4). The CGIAR 2030 global strategy for resilient drylands. https://www.cgiar.org/global-strategy-resilient-drylands/ [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Environmental Protection Department of Sabah. (2003). Environmental indicator report, Sabah, Malaysia. Syarikat Bumi Yakin. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Firdaus, R. B. R., Tan, M. L., Rahmat, S. R., & Gunaratne, M. S. (2020). Paddy, rice and food security in Malaysia: A review of climate change impacts. Cogent Social Sciences, 6(1), 1818373. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2020.1818373 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Hashimoto, S., & Nishi, M. (2016). Policy evolution of land consolidation and rural development in postwar Japan. Geomatics, Land Management and Landscape, 3, 57–75. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Ismail, M. S. (2011). Malaysia’s land policy framework. Jurnal Pentadbiran Tanah, 1(1), 16–30. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Khatun, M. (2019). What are the drivers influencing smallholder farmers’ access to formal credit system? Empirical evidence from Bangladesh. Asian Development Policy Review, 7(3), 162–170. https://doi.org/10.18488/journal.107.2019.73.162.170 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Koppmair, S., Kassie, M., & Qaim, M. (2016). Farm production, market access and dietary diversity in Malawi. Public Health Nutrition, 20(2), 325–335. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980016002135 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Lewison, R. L., Rudd, M. A., Al-Hayek, W., Baldwin, C., Beger, M., Lieske, S. N., Jones, C., Satumanatpan, S., Junchompoo, C., & Hines, E. (2016). How the DPSIR framework can be used for structuring problems and facilitating empirical research in coastal systems. Environmental Science & Policy, 56, 110–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2015.11.001 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Linneberg, M. S., & Korsgaard, S. (2019). Coding qualitative data: A synthesis guiding the novice. Qualitative Research Journal, 19(3), 259–270. https://doi.org/10.1108/QRJ-12-2018-0012 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Marzuki, A., & Jais, A. S. (2020). Urbanisation and the concerns for food security in Malaysia. Planning Malaysia, 18(13). https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v18i13.786 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Ministry of Agriculture & Food Industry, Sabah. (2015). Third Sabah Agricultural Policy (SAP3) 2015–2024. Author. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry. (2019, July). Sabah Agriculture Blueprint 2021–2030 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Nuar, E., & Lunkapis, G. J. (2019). Customary land and the indigenous people of Sabah: A case study of Sinumagang-Tinuman Toki. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 286(1), 012039. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/286/1/012039 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Rissman, A. (2013). Rethinking property rights: Comparative analysis of conservation easements for wildlife conservation. Environmental Conservation, 40(3), 222–230. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0376892913000015 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Salleh, R. @ M. B. (2021). Native law as one of the sources of Sabah law in Sabah legal system. Malaysian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 6(11), 399–412. https://doi.org/10.47405/mjssh.v6i11.1138 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Sanyal, T., Thün, G., Neuhaus, F., & Robertson, N. (2023). What does it mean for urban life to see livestock grazing in post-industrial American cities? Architecture_MPS, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.14324/111.444.amps.2023v25i1.004 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Smith, J. (2022). Evaluating the effectiveness of Ontario’s 2005 Greenbelt Plan at preserving the protected countryside from urbanization and non-renewable resource mining [Thesis]. https://doi.org/10.32920/ryerson.14667948.v2 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Suu, N. V. (2009). Agricultural land conversion and its effects on farmers in contemporary Vietnam. Focaal, 2009(54), 106–113. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1548-744X.2009.01086.x [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Toan, L. B. K., & Yen, V. H. (2023). The role of property rights in facilitating voluntary land conversion in Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries. Cadernos de Educação Tecnologia e Sociedade, 16(2), 454–463. https://doi.org/10.14571/brajets.v16.n2.454-463 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Tong, W., Zhang, P., Lo, K., Chen, T., & Gao, R. (2017). Age-differentiated impact of land appropriation and resettlement on landless farmers: A case study of Xinghua Village, China. Geographical Research, 55(3), 293–304. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-5871.12208 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Town and Country Planning Ordinance (Sabah Cap. 141). (2001). Penampang district land use planning scheme. Sabah State Government. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. Tscherning, K., Helming, K., Krippner, B., Sieber, S., & Gomez y Paloma, S. (2012). Does research applying the DPSIR framework support decision making? Land Use Policy, 29(1), 102–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2011.05.009 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. Ustaoglu, E., & Williams, B. (2022). Institutional settings and effects on agricultural land conversion: A global and spatial analysis of European regions. Land, 12(1), 47. https://doi.org/10.3390/land12010047 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

28. Vassalos, M., Gao, Z., & Zhang, L. (2017). Factors affecting current and future CSA participation. Sustainability, 9(3), 478. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9030478 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

29. Wahanisa, R., Niravita, A., Mahfud, M., & Aminah, S. (2021). Public participation by optimizing rural spatial planning to prevent functional conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural use. Universal Journal of Agricultural Research, 9(5), 149–155. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujar.2021.090501 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

30. Wulan, N., Leviza, J., & Mazdalifah, M. (2022). Sustainable food agriculture land protection strategy: A case study in Pantai Labu sub-district, Deli Serdang Regency, North Sumatera Province. UNISET. EAI. https://doi.org/10.4108/eai.2-12-2021.2320304 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Breeding for a Greener Future: Selective Breeding and Crossbreeding Approaches to Minimize Methane Emissions in Ruminant Livestock
• Determinants of Adoption of Post-Harvest Losses Prevention Techniques among Banana/Plantain Marketers in Lagos State, Nigeria
• Enhancing Rice Yield Prediction Using UAV-Based Multispectral Imaging and Machine Learning Algorithms
• Seed-Borne Fungi of Groundnuts (Arachis Hypogaea) and Their Management with Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) Extract In Makurdi, Nigeria
• The Influence of Landforms and Slope on Agricultural Cropping Patterns in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar District