Key Takeaways
- The Agriculture Department has introduced the Smart Irrigation Monitoring System (Sims) to enhance water efficiency for farmers.
- Designed to combat challenges like El Niño, Sims provides real-time weather data and irrigation guidance for up to 200,000 farmers nationwide.
- Expected benefits include over 20% reduction in water wastage and lower energy costs, while promoting sustainable farming practices.
Smart Irrigation Monitoring System Launched
The Agriculture Department has unveiled the Smart Irrigation Monitoring System (Sims), aimed at improving water efficiency for farmers and safeguarding food production against extreme weather events such as El Niño. Announced on August 3, Agriculture director-general Datuk Nor Sam Alwi emphasized that this initiative is a strategic move toward the digital transformation of the agrifood sector.
Sims employs real-time Evapotranspiration (ETo) data and provides weather forecasts for up to 14 days, utilizing the Penman-Monteith FAO 56 formula. This internationally recognized standard incorporates factors such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation to determine the water needs of crops. The department aims for approximately 200,000 farmers to adopt this system in stages, with an initial target of 20,000 active users.
Nor Sam noted that prolonged hot and dry conditions related to El Niño have complicated water resource management in agriculture. Sims is designed to help farmers tackle drought impacts systematically, minimize water waste, and reduce operational costs, thereby supporting environmental sustainability through precision farming practices.
The system covers ETo data across a 30-square-kilometre radius, with more detailed oversight in 15 selected Food Production Permanent Park locations. Currently, Sims supports automated irrigation scheduling for 38 major crop types, including various fruits and vegetables.
Integration of real-time data through Sims is projected to reduce water wastage by more than 20% and decrease energy costs linked to mechanical pumps. This ensures reduced water stress on crops, leading to stable production yields and contributing to the improvement of Malaysia’s Self-Sufficiency Level for key crop commodities.
Farmers, agropreneurs, and plantation operators interested in participating can easily register online via the official portal. They need to fill out their profile details, select their farm location, and indicate their crop type to gain immediate access to tailored irrigation schedules and water requirement information.
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