Small-scale poultry farmers across Malaysia are facing mounting financial pressure as this year's haze crisis compounds the devastating effects of extreme heat on their livestock. The dual environmental threats are forcing farmers to make costly investments in cooling systems just to keep their animals alive and productive.
Small Farmers Bear the Burden
Zaiful Zakaria, a 42-year-old poultry keeper in Selama, Perak, began installing ventilation fans at his open-sided chicken sheds before the haze hit Malaysia in August. The fans were designed to draw out heat accumulating inside the sheds and protect the well-being of his mainly ornamental and heritage-breed chickens. When the haze arrived, Zaiful didn't have the luxury of waiting. He later began installing a water-misting system as well.
This year's haze crisis has added to the heat woes squeezing livestock farmers in Malaysia and Indonesia as they struggle to keep their animals cool, fed and productive. Small farmers in Malaysia and Indonesia who are also worried about rising heat are spending more to ventilate their sheds. The equipment isn't cheap, and it's an expense many small-scale operators can barely afford.
Cumulative Strain on Animal Health
While it's difficult to separately assess the effects of haze-related smoke from heat, water shortages, feed and disease, farmers and industry groups say the cumulative strain is severely affecting animal health, productivity and their finances. Chickens are producing fewer eggs. The interconnected environmental pressures make it nearly impossible to isolate a single cause, but the result is clear: farmers are losing income while their costs rise.
The situation highlights a familiar pattern in agricultural crises. Small-scale farmers, who typically operate with thin margins and limited access to capital, are the first to feel the economic pain when environmental conditions deteriorate. They're making emergency investments in infrastructure without the safety net that larger commercial operations enjoy.
Environmental Pressures Mount
The haze crisis isn't occurring in isolation. It's layered on top of broader heat stress that's been building throughout the region. Farmers face a complex web of challenges including water shortages and feed availability, all of which compound the direct effects of high temperatures and poor air quality on their animals. Each factor alone would be manageable, perhaps. Together, they're creating conditions that threaten the viability of small farming operations.
For farmers like Zaiful, the choice isn't really a choice at all. Install expensive cooling systems or watch your livestock suffer and your income disappear. It's a decision being made in chicken sheds across Malaysia and Indonesia, where the people who produce food for their communities are being asked to absorb the costs of environmental degradation they didn't cause.
Why This Matters:
Small-scale farmers are on the frontlines of climate and environmental crises, yet they're the least equipped to handle the financial burden. When haze and extreme heat combine to devastate livestock productivity, it's not just an agricultural problem—it's a question of economic justice and food security. These farmers are being forced to invest in emergency infrastructure without government support systems that could help distribute the costs more fairly. As environmental conditions worsen, the gap between large commercial operations with capital reserves and small farmers operating on thin margins will only widen. The situation in Malaysia and Indonesia demonstrates how environmental crises don't just affect production—they accelerate economic inequality in rural communities that are already vulnerable.