AgTech: Tech Enabler for a Sustainable Future 

Agriculture technology or AgTech is the utilisation of 4IR technologies in agriculture, horticulture and aquaculture to improve efficiency, increase and yield productivity, income and reduce overall operational costs.

MDEC’s eLadang / Digital AgTech Programme

While Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technology has yet to be widely adopted in Malaysian agriculture, the groundwork for a thriving AgTech ecosystem has been laid. This is an indication that Malaysia is fecund ground for AgTech investments. With official announcement under the National PEMULIH programme with KKMM and National Digital Agriculture Technology (AgTech) Evaluator, Validator and Strategic Partner to MAFI & LPP under ‘Program Modenisasi Rantai Nilai Agromakanan Negara (PMRNA)’, MDEC aims to drive digital transformation across the agriculture sector and improve the livelihood of the many via Digital AgTech empowerment.

Purposes:

• Pilot digital technology use cases in transforming traditional farming into a digital economy profession.
• Improve farmers’ awareness, accessibility and adoption of feasible Digital AgTech solutions in their farming operation.
  

Fostering a Vibrant AgTech Ecosystem

MDEC, together with key stakeholders and ecosystem partners, have collaboratively showcased how Digital AgTech can empower and transform the agriculture sector and uplift society. MDEC is also collaborating with onboarded Financial institutions and Syariah-compliant Peer-to-Peer (P2P) financing platforms to offer diversified microfinancing schemes to eligible farmers and technology partners (digital tech industry) to catalyse Digital AgTech adoption at scale.

Furthermore, MDEC is progressively working with public and private institutions through its Premier Digital Tech Universities and Polytechnics, known as Premier Digital Tech Institutions (PDTIs), to embed industrial and 4IR related training programmes toward developing next-generation digital farmers.