Malaysian Cocoa Board (MCB), the federal statutory agency responsible for the cocoa industry, is collaborating with several partners to build the first smart cocoa plantation plan in the country. MCB has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Agrocloud Sdn Bhd to develop a Cocoa Information Management System (CIMS).
Agrocloud, an AgriTech subsidiary of Key Alliance Group Bhd, a public listed company in Malaysia, is supported by its exclusive Austrian technology partner, Pessl Instruments, in Agri Internet of Things and Agri advisory services. The partners have performed a successful test run on selected rice farms in the country and are now extending their technology to support smallholders that are planting cocoa. The CIMS technology aims to provide small and large plantation smallholders with a fully digitalized operational system that addresses crop monitoring needs.
MCB has also teamed with Permaju Industries Bhd (PIB), a leading local cocoa company, to build and manage a 100-hectare plantation, which is Malaysia’s largest single origin smart cocoa plantation. Executive director of PIB Tang Boon Koon shared that the firm has allocated MYR 15 million (USD 3.5 million) over the next seven years to commence its plantation division while complying with the global environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) guidelines. In particular, PIB will partner with Agrocloud to develop a customized plantation decision support system (DSS) platform named Cocoa Plantation Management System (CPMS) for its smart cocoa plantation. CPMS is a comprehensive management platform that integrates various technologies to provide plantation operators with a streamlined solution comprising all aspects of agronomic advisory, governance, and traceability.
(Sources: The Star; New Straits Times)
