VCI Global Limited, a Nasdaq-listed tech and business consulting group has announced a strategic partnership with Agroz Group Sdn Bhd, a leading Malaysian indoor vertical farm operator. The collaboration aims to spearhead the development of large-scale, energy-efficient smart greenhouses powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
In this initiative, VCI Global will contribute AI capabilities to enhance food production, while Agroz Group will provide technological solutions for the smart greenhouses. The primary goal is to optimize limited space and increase productivity through Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) greenhouse farming, enabling year-round crop production. AI-based smart greenhouse farming, with its extended growing seasons and AI-controlled environments, offers benefits such as higher crop yields, consistent quality, and reduced resource wastage.
This collaboration is particularly significant for addressing Malaysia’s dependence on food imports, which has surged by nearly 8% to MYR 75.6 billion (USD 16 billion) in 2022, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia. Agroz Group has been at the forefront of implementing CEA technologies, including vertical farming and greenhouses, utilizing soilless farming techniques like hydroponics. The company’s products are available across various channels, from major restaurants, cafes, hotels, and brand supermarkets to neighborhood grocers and direct-to-consumer sales.
(Sources: VCI Global; GlobeNewswire)
