Elevating national food security: Local startups create innovative, technological solutions
Positive developments resulting from these efforts can be seen when local startups dared to step forward to respond to challenges in the digital era by offering various innovative and commercial solutions, which has helped address issues facing the country.
SHAH ALAM - The growth of new entrepreneurs is crucial for Malaysia's vision to be among the top 20 leading ecosystems of global startup companies by 2030 and to make Kuala Lumpur a regional hub for startups and digital industries.
Related agencies, organisations and local corporate companies have introduced various programmes, platforms, initiatives and measures to ensure a positive impact on the development of the startup ecosystem within the country.
Positive developments resulting from these efforts can be seen when local startups dared to step forward to respond to challenges in the digital era by offering various innovative and commercial solutions, which has helped address issues facing the country.
Among them are three local bumiputera agrotechnology startups that are now providing innovative solutions to address the challenges of climate change for food security in Malaysia.
These startups, namely Braintree Technologies Sdn Bhd (Braintree), Kapitani Sdn Bhd (Kapitani) and AgriData Portal Sdn Bhd (AgriData) were also winners of the Khazanah Impact Innovation Challenge (KIIC 2023) grant organised by Khazanah Nasional Berhad (Khazanah Nasional).
KIIC 2023 attracted the participation of innovative agrifood and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) startups to actively address issues stemming from climate change affecting the agrifood sector.
As winners of the KIIC 2023 grant, Braintree and Kapitani received grants of up to RM500,000 each, while AgriData received a grant of up to RM400,000.
In 2022, Malaysia ranked 41 out of 113 countries assessed in terms of food security under the Global Food Security Index (GFSI).
Malaysia's subpar performance in the GFSI sustainability and adaptability metrics emphasised the need to seek innovative solutions to tackle climate change challenges in the agrifood industry.
This has led to an increased focus on food security, with the government actively encouraging businesses to empower local companies to participate in contributing to developing solutions.
INFINITY 01 reduces labour intensity
For Braintree which is headquartered in Bandar Baru Bangi, technology is the key to success in the industry.
Based on this principle, Braintree, founded by chief executive officer (CEO) Arif Makhdzir, 37, has successfully developed INFINITY 01, an oil palm fertilisation machine as an alternative for industry players to improve operational efficiency while addressing labour shortages.
Arif, who spent seven years in Canada and worked as a software engineer said, INFINITY 01 was a self-driving robot capable of being a flexible and versatile worker which was also able to perform various tasks simultaneously to assist industry players in addressing uncertainties in the commodity sector, especially post-Covid-19.
"We (Braintree) started with fertilisation activities and the robot will change the way we work and can be controlled using a mobile phone.
"We chose to develop a specific technology for palm oil to create a new innovative alternative that can achieve high impact, leveraging on robotic technology in the country's agricultural revolution," he said.
Braintree, focusing on robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) since 2018, required significant funding to develop a product technology network for agricultural use.
"With the grant obtained through KIIC 2023, it has allowed us to continue efforts in producing other products and AI in ensuring food security in the country," he said.
TaniOS, Analitik and TaniPASAR applications
Meanwhile, TaniOS, Analitik and TaniPASAR, three smart applications, have great potential in enhancing the efficiency of agricultural sector management activities and ensure food supply security in the country.
Developed by Kapitani, headquartered in Subang Jaya, the applications were alternatives to help improve productivity and farmers' quality of life through financial inclusivity and technology-based solutions.
"We (Kapitani) aim to empower local farmers with open access to financial resources, technology and digital farming platforms that can bridge the technology financial gap.
"Our goal is to revive the agricultural industry and transform it into a sector that offers job opportunities and economic benefits, thereby enhancing food safety," said Kapitani co-founder M Nazrul Hazeri Nazrimuddin.
Commenting on the digital platform, Nazrul explained that the three applications have the capabilities of allowing farmers to access market information, connect with buyers and obtain financing to increase income.
Additionally, he said the applications provided stakeholders with trusted data to make decisions based on accurate and comprehensive information.
Specifically, the TaniOS and Analitik were web-based applications designed for farm management, planning, record-keeping and compliance with the Malaysian Good Agricultural Practices Certification Scheme (myGAP).
Meanwhile, the TaniPASAR application served as a market intermediary between consumers and farmers.
In this regard, Nazrul planned to leverage the KIIC 2023 grant from Khazanah Nasional to enhance the capabilities of existing applications while implementing marketing and promotion strategies.
"Kapitani will receive feedback from existing and potential users to ensure that the applications and platforms meet their needs and requirements," he said, adding that they were also collaborating with the Melaka state government to test the effectiveness and usability of these applications in agricultural development in the state.
360-degree solutions for farmers
AgriData, based in Penampang, Sabah, is a Bumiputera company that facilitated market access and provides financing solutions to farmers. It also offers comprehensive solutions through its Ag-Fund, Ag-Spark and Ag-Market platforms to support farmers for this purpose.
According to its CEO Matthew Johnny Kulai, the Ag-Fund platform help farmers track income and expenditure while enhancing their activities to a better level.
Meanwhile, the Ag-Spark platform served as a bulk centre to ensure high-quality seeds, proper packaging and extend product shelf life on store shelves.
"For the Ag-Market platform, it serves as a distribution centre for buyers. We collect farming data through all activities to build predictive models that assist in making strategic decisions for farmers," he said.
He added that all three platforms assist farmers to focus on their activities fully without worrying about market access, income and expenditure.
