Dato Dr Ahmad Faris Abdul Halim, shares his pivoting journey after 3 decades in ICT when he decides to throw in the towel and returns to his roots in agriculture. BusinessToday gets an exclusive with this rather dynamic person who is just as passionate about his farms and as to why more needs to be done to further elevate the agriculture field in the country.
Having emersed in technology and corporate dealings all this adult life, Dato Dr Ahmad Faris who is the Chairman of Al-Hilmi Group has made a serendipitous decision to explore the wonderful world of agriculture.
The move was not by chance or opportunistic, according to him, he has always been exposed to farming during his childhood days, when his father would bring him along to toil on the land the family owned. However, he never took it up seriously or as a career, the ambition was in the corporate world and he pursuit it. After successfully reaching the top of the ladder in his pinstripe suits and polished leather shoes, Dr Faris got the calling and is returning to his passion, subsequently trading the fine clothes for yellow boots and dirt.
“I grew up in kampung so I have always been involved in agriculture and it’s not something new to me. It was however only a hobby until recently,” he confides to BusinessToday.
But coming from the corporate field, the brash CEO was not just about to pull weeds or water his chili plants, after 3 years of conducting research and understanding the industry, Dr Faris saw gaps and issues in the agriculture industry that could be addressed through technology particularly the issue of shortage in food supply. At the same time, both he and his team saw the need to contribute to the demand for vegetable and fruits both in the local and international scene.
How much has changed?
“There have been big changes over the years in the agriculture industry, while most people during my childhood only did it on smaller scales to make ends meet, now agriculture is being done on a bigger scale.
“There is increasing demand for instance for durian from China, Middle East and South Korea. So bigger scale operations are needed to keep up with the demand,” he says.
However, Dr Faris also acknowledges that in order to keep up with the ever-increasing demand, modernisation is vital and a necessity. The lack of modernisation in the field has placed Malaysia behind many of the developed countries, he says.
To change, he says, industry players and the Government must recognise the importance of not only the machinery needed but also the technology behind seedlings and soil management.
Ahmad Amiruddin Al-Hilmi says the country falling behind in terms of agriculture advancement is due to the heavy focus on semiconductor manufacturing and heavy industries not directly related to agricultural development. “We ended up not focusing on the many technologies and methods that was introduced in the agricultural sector over the years unfortunately,” he says.
However, he does highlight that the government is starting to recognise the potential in the industry now.
The need for the right technology
“We need to first acknowledge that it is not just the machinery that can upscale the industry but also the technology behind the seedlings. Durian is one example where we have managed to produce multiple variations and the same can be done with coconuts as well,” he says.
Amiruddin also sheds light on the lack of awareness on proper soil management among farmers. “For areas that are deemed as not suitable, we can carry out research to see if proper soil management can be land fertile for different crops and at the same time identify other potential land that can help farmers to grow their crops.”
Al-Hilmi Agrofarm is currently trying to incorporate integrated farming in their more than 200 acres land near Slim River with both long-term and cash crops. While they have planted durians and coconuts, cash crops such as long beans, pineapples, bananas and chili has been identified as ways to improve cash flow while waiting for the margin from the long-term harvest.
“If this model works well, we can encourage it to be incorporated among smallholders as well. In Felda for instance, planting of oil palms takes up to 5 years to produce the first yield, so it makes sense for farmers to plant different short-term crops,” Dr Faris says.
MARDI Corp is currently in talks with several international authorities including Japan and Nigeria to utilise seedling technology rather than conventional methods to address agriculture challenges, with Japan expressing interest to invest in contract farming using the MD2 pineapple variation
How can data help?
As a new player in the industry, Dr Faris says he and his team are still in the learning process however he says, players can do more for the industry if there were sufficient data. The bigger issue of lacking data in the supply and demand segment has made it difficult for farmers to gauge how much of a certain crop should be produced and if there can be focus on other crops.
“With the right set of data, we can plan accordingly. This will allow certain groups to focus on one crop while others can benefit from planting other crops. Data will also help industry players to plan better for the incoming international demand.
“Currently, even supply for local demand has been disrupted due to the lack of data available. Despite the presence of local farmers organisations, accessibility is not something offered to many of us,” Dr Faris says.
These challenges, Dr Faris says, has discouraged many of the younger generation from pursuing a career in the agriculture industry.
In order to tackle these issues, Dr Faris urges for the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries to implement more aggressive strategies to reform the industry to create a more efficient system.
“There needs be more dialogue and collaboration between farmers, industry players and the Government in creating a more efficient and integrate system that can benefit and uplift the industry,” he says.
Dr Faris may have committed himself in farming and agriculture, but his business tenacity has not diminished despite surrounded by durians, bananas and pineapples. Perhaps this is what is needed in the agriculture industry, a business thinking farmer!
