October 11, 2011 00:45 AM
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 (Bernama) — Three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and two Memorandums of Agreement (MoAs) were signed between agencies under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) and Sabah Monday.
The MoUs and MoAs were for technology, innovation and research development programmes in agriculture and related industries in Sabah.
The ceremony was witnessed by MOSTI minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili and Sabah Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture and Food Industry Minister, Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin.
According to a MOSTI statement, the first MoU between Mimos Berhad and Sabah Agriculture Department (JPS) is to develop Precision Agriculture Farming using Wireless Sensor Network.
Through the second MoU, MIMOS will provide Semantic Technology to develop a knowledge management base for the Herbal Medicine Information Storage Project for the Sabah Development Authority (SEDIA).
The third MoU involved bionexus company All Cosmos Industries Sdn Bhd and Sabah Softwoods Bhd to set up a joint-venture company, Sabah Softwoods Hybrid Fertiliser Sdn Bhd (SSHF), through the facilities provided by the Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation (BiotechCorp) with a total investment of RM50 million.
Two three-way MoAs were signed between the National Agribiotechnology Institute (ABI), JPS and international bionexus firm Pure Circle Sdn Bhd, and an MoA signed between ABI, Pure Circle and Koperasi Pembangunan Desa Sabah (KPDS).
Under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP), MOSTI had financed 104 research and development projects in the agriculture industry that were worth more than RM54 million in Sabah.
MOSTI also financed activities under the ‘Inno Fund’ and ‘Community Innofund’ programmes in Sabah under the 9MP and the Tenth Malaysia Plan to help small enterprises and communities generate income by using technology and through entrepreneurial development.
— BERNAMA
