Unpacking the Factors Influencing Oil Palm Smallholders’ Perceptions of Mechanization in East Malaysia

Mechanization has been introduced into Malaysian oil palm plantations and remains a relevant technology that plays a crucial role in enhancing productivity. However, the adoption of mechanization, particularly among oil palm smallholders remains moderate, with many farming activities still performed manually or in a semi-mechanized manner. This study investigates the factors that influence smallholders’ perceptions of mechanization and explores how the perceptions vary across different demographic characteristics. A structured questionnaire was distributed to 282 respondents, selected from a total population of 1,023 oil palm smallholders in the Mukah district of Sarawak, East Malaysia, to elicit detailed responses, The data were analyzed using five types of statistical techniques: descriptive analysis, factor analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA), independent t-test and Spearman’s rho correlation. Seven key factors were found to influence smallholders’ perceptions of mechanization: adoption and impact of mechanized technology, cost-effectiveness, financial literacy and access to mechanization support, knowledge and awareness gap, land size and terrain constraints, suitability and advisory support, and technology acquisition and development skill. Most demographic characteristics showed significant correlations with these factors, except for gender and monthly income, which had no significant relationship with perceptions of mechanization. The findings effectively identified the key factors influencing smallholders’ perceptions of mechanization, along with their associations with demographic variables. Based on these insights, the study proposed several substantial recommendations to enhance smallholders’ understanding of mechanization benefits in the study area.