UMT RESEARCHERS DEVELOP APPLICATION FOR MONITORING PADDY FARMING
Sunday, 03/09/2023
n the globalization era, agriculture is still one of the important sectors for it can help ensure sufficient food supply for the world. In the case of Malaysia, one of the countries that depends on paddy as its main food supply, good paddy cultivation management is a priority.
A team of researchers at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) has successfully developed an innovative application for monitoring paddy by utilizing data network and Internet of Things (IoT). The development of the application known as Paddy Watch is part of the initiatives to support the government’s effort to meet the Sustainability Development Goal (SDG 2): Zero Hunger.
The system created by two researchers is able to gather real-time data with 90 percent accuracy, said Project leader Dr. Rudiyanto, who is also a lecturer at the Faculty of Fisheries and Food Science.
“The application can be used to monitor the country’s paddy cultivation and encourage sustainable farming.
“Paddy Watch is a technology-based application that uses satellite to capture paddy field images in real time for the purpose of monitoring. The application is equipped with data sharing, mapping, and analysis features to provide accurate information to parties of interest such as farmers, agriculture officers, and the government, Dr. Rudiyanto said.
He added that the application uses remote sensing, allowing it to be accessed from a smartphone or a computer for the purpose of monitoring paddy growth, the size of paddy cultivation area, and paddy harvesting among others.
“The application focuses on cultivation zone mapping, and the mapping data will help in monitoring activities in that it can identify important cultivation zones without the need to be physically present on the paddy fields.
“The mapping can be done at every paddy field in Malaysia,” he said.
He added Paddy Watch integrates important information such as cultivation schedule, best practices, and actions to be taken at each phase of farming.
“This will help farmers in making better decisions regarding crop maintenance.
“The application also provides weather and climate forecasts, which will help farmers to plan their farming activities and maintenance according to the predicted weather,” Dr. Rudiyanto said.
“This will also help researchers and the authorities to conduct long-term analysis regarding farming performance.”
Meanwhile Dr. Ramisah Mohd Shah and Dr. Norhidayati Che Soh, project co-researchers, consider Paddy Watch the best example of an application that combines information technology advancements to help the agriculture sector to enhance paddy cultivation monitoring and management.
This application can help improve the collaboration between farmers, researchers, and the government, and this is an important step in ensuring there is sufficient food supply for countries that depend on paddy cultivation especially Malaysia, they said.
UMT VOLUNTEERS PLANT GELAM TREES TO IMPROVE SUSTAINABILITY OF ENVIRONMENTAL ECOSYSTEM (SUNDAY, 10/12/2023)
As an institution that advocates environmental and biodiversity sustainability, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) celebrated the Environment Day by replanting Gelam trees in Setiu through the help of 100 volunteers.
The initiative was taken as part of the effort to conserve the flora and fauna and environmental ecosystem. Gelam trees were chosen as they play an important role in the ecosystem balance, are leafy, can withstand dryness, and are easy to plant.
Gelam trees, also known as Melaleuca cajuputi, are Southeast Asia’s native trees that have high economic and ecological values. The effort by UMT volunteers will indirectly help the nearby community to create products based on the trees.
UMT Deputy Vice Chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni) Prof. Dr. Mohd Izani Mohd Zain described the volunteer programme as a good activity for imparting knowledge to the community especially students about how to care for the environment and the ecosystem.
“We expose students to the importance of caring for the environment and being aware of the significant changes happening lately.
“This type of volunteer activity is a good platform for instilling a sense of responsibility in every individual towards the environment beside spreading knowledge about the conservation of the environmental ecosystem for the sake of a better future for the coming generation.
Meanwhile, Gelam tree researcher Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jamilah Salim said Gelam trees were selected because they are natural resources that do not require huge capital.
“I have studied Gelam trees since 1998 and found that they provide benefits to the community.
“The activity is also a way to allow research findings to be applied to benefit the community.
According to Prof. Dr. Noraznawati Ismail, various products can be created using Gelam trees, such as essential oil, cream, and other products that have high demand in the market.
“Efforts on environmental sustainability like this not only benefit the environmental ecosystem but also help create economic opportunities for the local community,” said Prof. Noraznawati who is also Bioinfo Head at the Institute of Climate Adaptation and Biotechnology, UMT.
The programme not only added greenery but Gelam trees possess an antimicrobial characteristic that can help clean the air by absorbing carbon dioxide and release oxygen. This helps to reduce the impact of climate change and support ecosystem balance.
