KUALA LUMPUR: The first digital plantation management application called Dema has been unveiled today to streamline work processes in the plantation sectors.
The application, provided by Nectar Consortium Sdn Bhd, is aimed at making it easier for plantation owners or managers at the main office to access field data quickly at any time.
Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Ahmad Amzad said with Dema, planters or farmers would no longer need to rely on paper-based log books or other manual methods.
Dema served as a catalyst for customers, planters and plantation companies in Malaysia and the region to embrace digital solutions for their plantations, Ahmad Amzad said at the launch.
He said with Dema, users would be able to access the application with their mobile devices anytime, anywhere.
"Powered by Maxis Bhd, Aurora Cloud, Katsana, the application offers a comprehensive package including mobile phone, 4x4 vehicles supported by Sime Darby Rent A Car or Hertz.
"For plantation companies, having proper recording of data, real time business tracking and data driven decision making on the field is crucial for their business," he said at the launch of Dema today.
The application runs on mobile devices and functions as a tool for planters to digitally record data, real time business tracking and data driven of activities on the field and have them stored in a cloud-based system.
Some of the Dema key elements are worker attendance, crop harvesting and soil monitoring.
Dema is integrated between facial recognition and others. This allows workers' attendance to be recorded and verified instantly.
The apps also record crop production with GPS location tagging improves traceability and enhances crop quality monitoring.
Nectar managing director Ahmad Tarmizi Mukhtar said its goal was to digitise agricultural and plantation sectors to speed up deliverables to end users efficiently and effectively.
"In many cases, planters and farmers are still stuck with using conventional methods including paper-based log books.
"Not only are these not easy to manage but they also make reporting of field data to the main office a long process," said Ahmad Tarmizi.