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The aim of this study is to compare the various Halal certification bodies around the world based on the criteria for Halal certification. As the process of awarding Halal certificates varies among the certification bodies, it is pertinent to identify the differences between these selected certification bodies to gauge the gap existing among them. This study will also identify the position of JAKIM, which is the main Halal certification body in Malaysia, among the other main certification bodies around the world. Nine categories were identified in awarding Halal certification to companies. Comparative analysis was then used to see the differences that exist between these certification bodies. The results of the analysis indicate that, based on the nine categories identified, JAKIM is the strictest body in awarding Halal certification to companies.

Most research works on the production frontier in aquaculture focus on efficiency measurement using either Stochastic Production Frontier (SPF) or Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The studies on productivity growth in aquaculture were limited, perhaps due to lack of time-series data. Nevertheless, total factor productivity analysis (TFP) in fish farms has started gaining popularity in recent years. In addition, the majority of the efficiency studies have centered on technical efficiency analysis but substantial increases in the output levels can be fully realized through improving overall economic efficiency. Therefore, this review suggests that future research should estimate all three efficiency indices (i.e., technical, allocative and economic efficiencies).

We compared stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) methods to calculate mean technical efficiency (MTE) of global aquaculture. A total of 36 published articles on technical efficiency of 55 aquaculture operations were reviewed. SFA yielded lower MTE estimates than DEA. MTE for Asia, Africa, Europe, and the USA was estimated to be 0.64, 0.71, 0.80, and 0.73, respectively, indicating considerable scope for increasing output of aquaculture with the currently available array of inputs and existing technology.

Developing countries have seriously low adoption rates of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) and there is a need to understand why. This paper reviews 31 past studies focusing on the factors influencing the adoption of SAPs. Using a vote count methodology, SAPs adoption is revealed as a complex set of behaviors which depend on a range of socio-economic, agroecological, institutional, informational, psychological factors and perceived attributes. Identified within these six dimensions, male farmers, higher educational attainment levels, bigger farm size, steeper farms, and the presence of land right security emerge as common factors which often lead to adopt SAPs. These factors imply the general importance of economic motivations in facilitating sustainable farm management. In particular, gender, farm topography, and land tenure have a special role in the context of developing countries. These common factors, and other converged factors, lend support to drawing general policymaking guidelines by identifying the characteristics of potential adopters, promotion strategies, and effective communication channels. For effective local management, future research should consider a range of factors from multiple categories and identify the relative importance of statistically significant ones.

The objective of this study is to determine the shopping drivers that influence consumers to choose the night market or wet market for fresh fruit and vegetable (FFV) purchases. The study also investigates whether any differences in behavior among generational cohorts exist while purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables between two retail formats. The cluster sampling technique was applied to the entire population of Klang Valley area in Malaysia, and 700 respondents were randomly selected for this research. Perceived freshness, perceived quality and perceived safety of the fresh fruits and vegetables are the most important shopping drivers in a consumer's decision to purchase FFV in night market and wet market retail formats. The findings show that members of different generational cohorts have different perceptions about freshness, quality and safety of fresh fruits and vegetables purchased in night market and wet market retail formats.

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Malaysia is in need of new high income project to meet the targeted high income nation by 2020. One such potential project in agriculture is stingless beekeeping. The project could supplement the existing beekeeping projects from Apis spp. such as Apiscerana and Apis mellifera in terms of honey production and pollination services. The introduction of stingless beekeeping in 2004 by MARDI was expected to provide new alternative species that was free from diseases and required simple farm management practices where adopters can operate the project as a part time job. The remaining labour hours can be used to earn off farm income. The project alone could generate a monthly income of up to RM5000 for the adopters with available capital and land, and this will enhance additional income and dietary consumption of the stingless bee products. The project is hypothesized to provide positive relationship with income and nutritional quality. For those farmers with land, government assistance is needed in providing cheaper credit to purchase stingless bee colonies which are the major portion of initial investment. In summary, the project is expected to reduce rural and urban poverty and generate a new source of wealth to private investors in Malaysia.