Malaysia embarks on world's first intelligent plantations

18.02.2009
Malaysian applied research agency MIMOS and Felda Agricultural Services (FAS) have inked a deal to develop the world's first intelligent plantations."

The collaboration would be in six areas, said representatives from both organisations. MIMOS chairman, Dato' Suriah Abdul Rahman, said new applications for FAS would be developed, based on its Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) sensor technology, semantic technology, wireless technology and grid computing technology platforms.

"These tools will be used to enhance FAS' R&D and advisory services to the Felda Group which oversees some 740,000 hectares of oil palm plantations," said Rahman. "One of the key thrusts of this collaborative venture is to develop an intelligent platform based on frontier ICT technologies for remote and accurate monitoring of soil conditions and crop parameters in Felda estates."

"The other is to develop an information system based on MIMOS semantic technology, harnessing FAS' 40-year knowledge of in-field variability for strategic usage to enhance the productivity of Felda's oil palm plantations," she said.

The collaboration is expected to herald a new era of precision agriculture marrying ICT with agriculture whereby digital databases will guide estate management and lead to higher profitability.

Felda Agricultural Services (FAS) is a direct subsidiary of Felda Holdings, providing R&D services to the Felda Group.