Association Between Demographics and Food Security Awareness in Seremban, Malaysia

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted Malaysia’s vulnerability in ensuring food security, particularly through supply chain disruptions that caused shortages and price increases. Understanding how communities perceive and prepare for food security has become increasingly important in this context. This study examines the level of food security awareness within the Seremban community in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, and explores the association between demographic characteristics and awareness levels. 384 respondents were asked to self-assess their awareness, providing insight into their perceived understanding of food security issues. The findings indicate that 37.50% of participants reported a moderate level of awareness, 34.11% reported a high level, and 28.39% reported a low level of awareness. The Chi-Square Test of Independence revealed that age, gender, education, and household income were not significantly associated with awareness levels. However, the type of housing demonstrated a significant relationship (p = 0.012). The study recommends implementing tailored educational initiatives to enhance food security awareness within the community.