BY DANIAL FAUZI

Relying on imports , in the long run , will hurt the country as there are no methods of self-sufficiency in place to feed ourselves . If food imports stop , where else can we turn to put food on the table ?

Not to mention that our local farming methods are , by modern standards , woefully outdated as many local farm- ers still rely on traditional farming methods unlike other countries where technological advancements dominate farming methods . In addition to outdated techniques , many fertilisers and pesticides that local farmers still use are not environmentally friendly , causing more harm than good to the environment .

Advansia Malaysia has set its sights on advancing farming methods in Malaysia , to bring our local farmers up to speed with the latest trends in

agriculture whilst providing them with affordable and high-quality products for their farms .

Advansia Malaysia Managing Director Lam Chin Hee , said : “ Today , farmers have many problems ; they have problems with weeds , plant diseases and insect pests . Advansia provides solutions to overcome these problems while also assisting them in increasing their productivity and crop yield .

“ We also assist farmers by sending our staff , boots-on-the-ground , to assist farmers by demonstrating the usage and safe handling of fertilisers , pesticides and even drones for them to increase their productivity and efficiency .”

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The current trends in the agriculture landscape set their demands of farming products such as fertilisers and pesticides to be greener and environmentally friendly , whilst also maintaining their

“ Today , farmers have many problems ; they have problems with weeds , plant diseases and even pests . Advansia provides solutions to overcome these problems while also assisting them in increasing their productivity and crop yield .

– Lam Chin Hee

effectiveness during the farming or even harvesting process .

Through the efforts of its Research & Development ( R & D ) team , Advansia had procured what they call biopesticides . Unlike traditional pesticides , biopesti- cides contain low residue , which will significantly lessen their effects on the environment , whilst some other forms of biopesticides also target specific pests , keeping other friendly insects out of harm ’ s way .

“ In addition , we can also see farmers gaining more knowledge from various sources such as the internet , so Advansia is also developing apps that will directly assist farmers in identifying their prob- lems in their farms and provide solutions for them to tackle those problems ,” Lam added . He noted : “ Another trend is food security . The government is spend- ing more effort and more programmes and projects toward providing enough food for Malaysia . Currently, we are importing more than 30 per cent of rice .

“ One of the initiatives

provided by the government is the “ 12 Initiatives for Gelombang Padi ,” which aims to reduce the import of rice . The government wants to target the selfsufficient level ( SSL ) to 80 per cent by 2030 .”

Indeed , Lam also added another largescale project dubbed SMART Sawah Berskala Besar ( SBB ), which is a largescale paddy planting project powered with modern technology and machinery . This year , Advansia will look into 40 hectares in Sarawak and slowly increase it , with a target of 1,000 hectares by 2030 .

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Advansia not only looks at the current trends and landscape of agriculture but also seeks sustainability in the long term .

“ R & D is important , and every year , we introduce new products which are more environmentally friendly and also a lot more cost-effective for farmers .

“ In the long term , we look to integrate our business in the sense that besides just selling agrochemicals or providing solutions to farmers , we also aim to provide vegetable and paddy seeds for farmers , biostimulants to enhance crop yield , affordable fertilisers to enhance farming production and even drones to overcome the shortage of labour in Malaysia ,” Lam said .

Besides that , Advansia has also expanded its business regionally . In 2011 , it opened a branch in Indonesia and in 2019 , it expanded to Myanmar , continuing to grow this year . In addition , Advansia also plans to establish a formulation facility to increase exports to other countries .

This year , Advansia plans to establish itself in Bangladesh , dipping its toes in the Bangladesh market whilst also growing its community internationally .

“ When you integrate all this , they provide us an excellent platform , or vehicle , to move our business further . This also differentiates Advansia from most players that focus in only one or two areas . We call these Advanced Integrated Crop Solutions ( AICS ).”

“ At the end of the day , farmers benefit from our services and products , and at the same time , we provide a full package of solutions to enhance the experience of farmers in their work , which is also a benefit to us ,” he said . – @ AGROBiz