KUCHING: Technologies play a vital role in automating, and enhancing productivity and quality of commodities from planting to the marketplace.
In stating this, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said for instance, pepper being one of the key commodities of Sarawak is well known for its superior qualities worldwide and is further developed by the Malaysian Pepper Board to enhance its competitiveness.
“The Malaysian Pepper Board with its headquarters in Kuching is continuously harnessing technology in ensuring sustainable production of pepper through innovation, research, and development including integrated modern farming solutions from upstream to downstream.
“As an example, drone technologies are being applied to increase efficiency and productivity of pepper cultivation through hyperspectral imaging technologies,” he said.
He said when officiating at the launch of the Technological Association Malaysia (TAM) National Conference themed Technology Without Borders 2023 at Imperial Hotel here yesterday.
Fadillah, who is also the Minister of Plantation and Commodities. said the Pepper Farm Management Portal and Mobile application through LadaGo are other platforms that have enabled the industry to identify pepper diseases and offer treatment options for farmers to better manage their pepper crop.
“Apart from that, as Sarawak aspires to be a net food exporter by 2030, government agencies, industry players, and TAM must converge to collaborate and leverage each other’s expertise, skill, and technologies particularly Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Robotics, and Automation to drive productivity and growth, especially in agriculture.
“Concurrently, I would also like to urge TAM to explore new opportunities with the relevant agencies to spearhead the development of agro parks and smart farming programmes in Sarawak to achieve the state’s aspirations,” he said.
Earlier, the conference was co-organised by TAM and Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak Campus in collaboration with the Malaysia Pepper Board, and the Department of Agriculture Sarawak.
The objective of the conference is to enhance and explore the types of technology in various fields of industry and the field of technology involved in biotechnology, agro-based technology, health and medical technology, and building and construction technology.
