The crop calendar of the crop culture in the Malay landscape / Auni Najwa Zulnajmi and Nur Huzeima Mohd Hussain

Local farmers in the Malay landscape face income challenges due to rising farming costs and insufficient land size, leading to a reliance on subsistence living. Plants are used by people in various ways, and human reliance on nature appears to be changing in response to current lifestyles and future self-sufficiency. Therefore, this study aims to produce a crop calendar focusing on local plant species in the Malay landscape to address these challenges. Hence, the objective of this study is to identify suitable local plant species and overcome obstacles in subsistence living. The crop schedule in the Malay landscape is an important tool for farmers to plan and manage their crops effectively throughout the year. However, the level of awareness and acceptance among Malay farmers regarding the best agronomic practices for sustainable livelihood initiatives remains unknown. This paper investigates and identifies plant species in the crop calendar for Malay farmers to use as their initiative for subsistence living. The study uses qualitative data collection through face-to-face structured interviews with local farmers and agriculture experts from the Department of Agriculture Perak Tengah District. The findings of this paper emphasize the importance of plants in the Malay landscape and the need for a systematic approach to crop management. Consequently, identifying plant species in crop calendars aids in the preservation of plant culture in the Malay landscape while also providing knowledge for future research.