Food security is no longer just about having enough to eat. It is about whether food remains affordable, nutritious and reliably available in the face of growing threats.
In Malaysia, this challenge is becoming more urgent as climate change intensifies floods, droughts and unpredictable weather, disrupting harvests and threatening livelihoods.
In December 2022 alone, the agriculture and agro-food sectors suffered losses amounting to RM111.95 million due to monsoon damage, a crucial reminder of how fragile food systems can be, especially for farming communities.
Yet, food security is also about something often overlooked: cultural continuity. Traditional Malaysian foods are more than flavours on a plate. They are carriers of memory, identity and resilience. Preserving food heritage, especially in times of crisis, becomes as important as ensuring supply.
Across Southeast Asia, women, particularly in indigenous communities, are showing what resilience looks like in practice.
In many remote communities, women are more than homemakers. They are custodians of ancestral knowledge and guardians of food systems. From preserving traditional seeds to adapting farming techniques under climate pressure, they stand at the intersection of survival and heritage.
Take the story of Maria Fatima Bunga, known fondly as Mama Fatima, from East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. For years, she has woken as early as 4am, hoisted multiple jerrycans and walked half a kilometer along rocky paths to fetch water from the Ae Wuka spring.
Often, the queues are so long that she only returns home at nightfall. For her, water is not only a necessity, it is a lifeline for farming, food and family.
Meanwhile, on the Mentawai Islands, Fernanda, a housewife from the Mentawai tribe, confronts the devastation of degraded customary forests.
Once-rich lands that sustained her community have been stripped bare, leaving little economic value and threatening food sources.
The struggles of women like Fatima and Fernanda are not borne in silence. Local organisations are stepping in to provide knowledge, resources and support systems.
Wahana Tani Mandiri (WTM), a grassroots group in Indonesia, has been working with Fatima’s community to restore degraded lands near the Ae Wuka spring.
By identifying the overuse of chemical fertilisers and poor soil retention as root causes, WTM introduced land restoration programmes, including tree planting.
"Planting trees not only restores the environment, but it also restores our lives. Water is our hope and these trees are also our hope for the fruits they will bear in the future," Fatima said.
On the Mentawai Islands, Yayasan Citra Mandiri Mentawai (YCMM) supports Fernanda’s Uma Samalelet community through land mapping, providing seedlings and training villagers in sustainable planting and pest management.
With YCMM’s help, the community now holds legal recognition for customary forest management, a vital step in preserving their rights and heritage.
"With YCMM’s support, we can remain independent while protecting nature, which is the source of our life and rights," Fernanda said.
The impact of these restoration programmes is already visible. In Korobhera Village, regrown vegetation has improved soil water retention and increased agricultural yields.
Regenerative farming practices are keeping the soil fertile, while small forests around the Ae Wuka spring are slowly returning to life, bringing back wildlife once lost.
In Madobag Village, the trees planted are not just greenery; they are symbols of resilience. They represent the community’s ability to sustain itself, preserve its identity, and protect the environment for generations to come.
With stronger indigenous rights and renewed ecosystems, the villagers now see a future where food security and cultural heritage go hand in hand.
"For this, we need long-term solutions, such as better water storage systems, more environmentally friendly farming methods, and access to high-quality seeds.
"If this restoration is expanded, more families will feel its benefits. We want our village to be more resilient in facing changing seasons, with water sources still available and crop yields sufficient to meet our daily needs," she said.
As Malaysia grapples with food security challenges of its own, the experiences of Fatima, Fernanda and their communities offer valuable lessons.
Women, especially in indigenous communities, are playing a vital role in safeguarding both our environment and our traditions.
Their stories are a reminder that resilience begins at the roots, sometimes in the hands of women carrying jerrycans at dawn, planting seedlings in barren soil or passing down recipes that carry centuries of culture.
Protecting food security is not only about protecting supply; it is about protecting the people and traditions that make food meaningful.