Agriculture to go hi-tech

The Star, Saturday October 13, 2012

Video: http://thestaronline.tv/View.aspx?vid=9215&cid=1

By LOH FOON FONG
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

Healthy choice: Noh Omar checking out the Orygold drink during the agriculture expo in Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang.

SERDANG: There are plans to make farming go hi-tech with information and communications technology (ICT) to attract the young to agriculture, said Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar.

He said the use of ICT would enable the young to earn high income.

“This will attract the young into the field,” he said.

Noh Omar said the potential of ICT should be used to benefit the whole food production chain.

“The use of precision farming at the estate level, for instance, had been quickly developed to reduce the use of fertiliser, chemical and water and bring about good agricultural produce,” he said during the Agriculture Expo during Universiti Putra Malaysia's 36th Convocation yesterday.

He said ICT could be used in food traceability system to ensure food security.

Currently, ICT is also used in biotechnology food development.

At the event, Noh Omar launched the Orygold drink, a drink made from germinated brown rice.
Universiti Putra Malaysia laboratory of molecular biomedicine head Prof Dr Maznah Ismail said that the germinated brown rice has health benefits as it contained high-antioxidants.

“It is also low in amylose and could be eaten by people with diabetes,” she said.

She said brown rice was a healthier option than white rice, but germinated brown rice had even higher nutrition value.

The new product is currently only available through her.