UMP receives TERAJU RM2.27 million fund for IoT Innovation Fertigation Project

Kuantan, 16 July 2020 - Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) through the Centre of Industry and Community Network (ICoN) secured a grant worth RM2,270,000 from the Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit (TERAJU) for the implementation of programmes under the Bumiputera Entrepreneur Development Fund (DPUB) 2020 in the East Coast Economic Region (ECER).

The IoT-Based Smart Farming System project based on agricultural and technology applications will improve the living standards of bumiputeras, especially the low-income families (B40) in rural areas, as well as create employment opportunities for the local community.

According to the Project Manager, Yusmin Jaafar from the Centre of Industry and Community Network (ICoN), this project has gained the cooperation of various parties in UMP who have the expertise in the field of fertigation and internet of things (IoT) to initiate a fertigation crop project with new technology.  

“To implement this project, it will use the expertise of the lecturers from the Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology (FTKKP), Dr. Nor Hanuni Ramli and Faculty of Manufacturing and Mechatronics Engineering (FTKPM), Dr. Najmudin Ibrahim.

“This project will involve a total of 45 participants who will undergo training on modern planting system, namely fertigation with IoT innovation. 

“The five-year project will start next year, and the first two years will involve the project implementation process while the rest will involve project monitoring,” he said.

This project also receives the cooperation of various external agencies such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI), Farmers Organization Authority (LPP), and Malaysian Agro Entrepreneurs Organization (PPAM), as well as UMP Technology Sdn. Bhd. by adopting the ‘Pasor Online’ platform, which has helped to improve the marketing prospects of agricultural-based products.

By: Rozana Sahadan, Centre of Industry and Community Network (Icon) and Siti Nurfarmy Ibrahim, Public Relations Unit, Office of The Vice-Chancellor
Translation by: Dr. Rozaimi Abu Samah, College of  Engineering/Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology