Assisting Oil Palm Farmers' Succession Planning through Online Education on Sustainable Agriculture Practices: A Case Study of a Country with a High Power Distance Index

Succession planning by farmers ensures the continuity, sustainability, and prosperity of palm oil plantations in Malaysia. However, for farmers, succession planning encompasses a range of challenges that includes legal complexities surrounding farm planning, taxation, and inheritance laws, which can complicate the transfer of farm assets and lead to disputes among family members. Additionally, inadequate communication and clarity regarding succession intentions can create tension and conflict within farm families, hampering the planning process. Financial constraints, such as access to capital for retiring farmers and financing options for successors, pose further obstacles to successful succession. Moreover, the generational divide in agricultural knowledge and practices and the reluctance of older farmers to relinquish control can hinder the development of successors' skills and delay the transfer of management responsibilities. Thus, online education on sustainable agriculture practices could provide future generations of farmers with the necessary knowledge to overcome these challenges. This study employs a cultural-based approach that uses quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques based on the Power Distance Index (PDI) dimension of Hofstede’s cultural model. The approach consists of four phases that focus on the millennial generation as the intended population of successors to the oil palm farmers in Malaysia. The results reveal a high PDI dimension score for the millennial generation in Malaysia. Thus, educator-centered learning practices should be implemented through social media. Apart from this, the results also urge the creation of ‘Agro-Celebrities’ as an agent of change. In conclusion, the study’s contributions are crucial to the development of national and global food security initiatives.