L to R: Mohd Faris Adli Shukery, Managing Director, Kulim (Malaysia) Berhad; Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Dr Ismail Bakar, Deputy Chairman, Johor Corporation; YB Dato’ Salehuddin Hassan, State Financial Officer of Johor; Syed Aiman Kifli Syed Jaafar, CEO, FarmByte Sdn Bhd; YAB Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, Menteri Besar of Johor; Vincent Wei, CEO & Co-Founder, Archisen Pte Ltd; Sven Yeo, Chief Technology Officer & Co-Founder, Archisen Pte Ltd; Jason Chong, Chief Commercial Officer, Archisen Pte Ltd; Jeevan Singh, Consul-General, Singapore Consulate-General in Johor Bahru, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

FarmByte, a pioneering digital-first agrofood company part of the  Johor Corporation (JCorp) Group, has formalised a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Archisen, a  leading agritech company from Singapore. This collaboration aims to establish a groundbreaking joint  venture in urban farming. It will focus on creating an automated vertical indoor farm dedicated to producingAsian greens in Johor, Malaysia.  

The MoU, witnessed by the Menteri Besar of Johor, YAB Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, was sealed by Mr Syed  Aiman Kifli Syed Jaafar, CEO of FarmByte Sdn Bhd, and Mr Vincent Wei, CEO of Archisen Pte Ltd. The agreement underscores the mutual commitment of both FarmByte and Archisen to pool their resources  and technical expertise for this innovative venture.  

FarmByte will provide the farming infrastructure and invaluable local insights, while Archisen supplies the technical know-how, offering counsel on indoor farming practices and essential technological  requirements, including automation systems and data analytics. Additionally, Archisen will facilitate  comprehensive training for FarmByte’s employees, ensuring adeptness in the latest vertical farming technologies. 

Vertical farming has been on the rise in both Singapore and Malaysia, reflecting their intensified focus on  food security and the pursuit of self-reliance. 

Singapore’s ambitious ’30 by 30’ initiative has spurred the acceleration of vertical farming, as the nation  aims to have 30 per cent of its nutritional needs locally produced by 2030. Similarly, the Malaysian  government has placed a strong emphasis on increasing local food production and the self-sufficiency  ratio of main food products like fruits and vegetables. This has catalysed the exploration of indoor farming  solutionsby many local companies, including Johor-based FarmByte. 

Established earlier this year as part of the JCorp Agrofood Strategic Plan, FarmByte was incepted to  amplify Johor and Malaysia’s food security agenda. Adopting a digital-first strategy, Farmbyte aims to 

modernise the agrofood sector, elevating the livelihoods of farmers by enabling the production of high quality and high value produce. 

“Embracing a digital-first approach is pivotalto enhancing the way our agrofood sector operates so that  Malaysia can become more self-sufficient in the production of high-quality, safe, and nutritious food. As  we support farmers to optimiseexisting practices through the adoption of digital tools, we also recognise  the need to innovate farming methodologies to strengthen the entire agrofood ecosystem,” Mr Syed  Aiman shared.  

He added, “We’re thrilled to collaborate with Archisen to expand vertical farming in Johor. Their expertise in crafting state-of-the-art urban farming solutions, particularly in light of Singapore’s leadership in this field, aligns perfectly with FarmByte’s vision to transform Malaysia’s agrofood landscape and ensure a steady supply of food for everyone.”

Echoing the sentiment, Mr Wei stated, “Both Archisen and FarmByte are united by a shared vision of enhancing food resilience. Our mutual emphasis on innovation and technology to elevate farming efficiency and product quality is the cornerstone of this partnership. Driven by a common purpose, we look forward to bringing the benefits of vertical farming to Johor and Malaysia, playing our part in ensuring everyone’s wellbeing and sustenance.