PUTRAJAYA, Aug 3 (Bernama) -- The Department of Agriculture (DOA) has launched the Smart Irrigation Monitoring System (SIMS), a data-driven tool that helps farmers use water more efficiently and shields food production from extreme weather like El Niño.
In a statement today, Agriculture director-general Datuk Nor Sam Alwi said this is a strategic initiative to accelerate the digital transformation of the agrifood sector, enabling farmers to make more precise and systematic irrigation decisions.
He explained that SIMS provides real-time Evapotranspiration (ETo) data and weather forecasts up to 14 days ahead, using the Penman-Monteith FAO 56 formula, an international standard that factors in temperature, humidity, wind speed and solar radiation to determine crop water requirements.
"The DOA has set a target of approximately 200,000 farmers using the system nationwide in stages, with an initial projection of 20,000 active users during the early phase.
"This technology adoption is expected to drive a rapid shift in the agricultural sector towards a modern, digital-based commercial era, ensuring food security and sovereignty for all Malaysians," he said.
Nor Sam said the prolonged hot and dry conditions caused by El Niño have made water resource management a major challenge for the agricultural sector.
He noted that SIMS enables farmers to systematically manage the impact of drought, avoid wastage and cut operational costs, while supporting environmental sustainability through precision farming practices.
The system offers ETo data coverage within a 30-square-kilometre radius nationwide, with more detailed monitoring at 15 selected Food Production Permanent Park locations.
To date, SIMS provides an automated irrigation scheduling system optimised for 38 major crop types, including fruits and vegetables.
Nor Sam said the integration of real-time data through SIMS is expected to reduce water wastage by more than 20 per cent, while also lowering energy costs associated with mechanical pumps.
The system also helps reduce water stress on crops, ensuring stable production yields and supporting the improvement of the country's Self-Sufficiency Level for strategic crop commodities.
Farmers, agropreneurs and plantation operators interested in using the system can register online via the official portal at https://sims-doa.my/landing.
They simply need to fill in their profile details, select their farm location and crop type, and gain immediate access to irrigation schedules and water requirement data.
-- BERNAMA