KUALA LUMPUR: The Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) has launched Smart Plantation Management Solutions (SPMS) to strengthen the farm management of its settlers with the assimilation of technology and the concept of smart plantation.
SPMS is a system developed with data access using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or drone technology for smart farming models.
Felda said this system has been used to realise the concept of precision agriculture or digital farming that can help increase productivity and efficiency as well as reduce farm operating costs.
"This SPMS is also integrated with the existing Felda geographical information system (e-GIS) which can be used for area analysis, tree count, plant health status, vacant point, labour utilisation and revenue estimates for settler farms," it said.
The launch of SPMS was officiated by Felda sustainability committee chairman Abd Halim Abd Majid and attended by Felda director general Datuk Amiruddin Abdul Satar.
Abd Halim, in his speech, said SPMS would change the way Felda worked, to be more inclined towards digital technology, mechanisation and agricultural solutions in implementing precision farming, especially in plantation inventory.
Amiruddin said SPMS can help increase productivity and efficiency as well as reduce farm operating costs.
The launch of SPMS was in conjunction with Felda Technology Day 2022 (Feltech 2022).
This was held for the first time as one of the proactive initiatives to encourage the adoption of technology and farm mechanisation in all Felda plans, it said.
Felda also said Feltech 2022 would help to increase the awareness of Felda's community on the benefits of using mechanisation and thus gain support and involvement from settlers in this effort.
"The same exposure will also help improve Felda's scheme managements in implementing mechanisation instruments in their respective schemes," it said.
Felda is confident that the initiative to strengthen technology and mechanisation will be able to accelerate Felda's wave of transformation in line with the aspirations of its chairman, Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh.
"This success will definitely benefit the settlers through better income, thus improving the socioeconomic status of Felda's community as a whole," it added.
A total of 1,800 participants are attending the Feltech 2022 which is being held for two days, starting yesterday.