Kuala lumpur: The Department of Agriculture (DOA) has launched the Smart Irrigation Monitoring System (SIMS), a data-driven tool designed to help farmers optimize their water usage and safeguard food production against extreme weather conditions like El Ni±o.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Agriculture director-general Datuk Nor Sam Alwi emphasized that this initiative is pivotal for the digital transformation of the agrifood sector. He stated that SIMS empowers farmers to make precise and systematic irrigation decisions by providing real-time Evapotranspiration (ETo) data and 14-day weather forecasts. The system employs the Penman-Monteith FAO 56 formula, an international standard that calculates crop water requirements based on temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation.
The DOA aims to have approximately 200,000 farmers utilizing the system nationwide in phases, with an initial target of 20,000 active users in its early stages. Nor Sam highlighted that adopting this technology will propel the agricultural sector towards a modern, digital-based commercial era, enhancing food security and sovereignty for Malaysians.
Nor Sam addressed the ongoing challenges posed by El Ni±o, which have exacerbated water resource management issues in agriculture. SIMS assists farmers in managing drought impacts, minimizing waste, and reducing operational costs while promoting environmental sustainability through precision farming practices.
The system covers ETo data within a 30-square-kilometre radius nationwide and offers detailed monitoring at 15 selected Food Production Permanent Park locations. Currently, SIMS provides automated irrigation scheduling optimized for 38 major crop types, including fruits and vegetables.
Nor Sam projected that the integration of real-time data through SIMS will lower water wastage by over 20 percent and reduce energy costs related to mechanical pumps. Additionally, the system alleviates water stress on crops, ensuring stable production yields and boosting the country's Self-Sufficiency Level for strategic crop commodities.
Farmers, agropreneurs, and plantation operators interested in leveraging the system can register online through the official portal at https://sims-doa.my/landing. Users are required to fill in their profile details, select their farm location and crop type, and gain immediate access to irrigation schedules and water requirement data.