International Conference on Tropical Agriculture (ICTA 2023)

ATAS will be organizing its second International Conference of Tropical Agriculture (ICTA) on 16 – 17 Oct 2023 at TAYLOR’S UNIVERSITY LAKESIDE CAMPUS, MALAYSIA and virtual mode as well. The conference aims to bring together leading Agri scientists & academics, Agri-techno-entrepreneurs, as well as Agri practitioners, community leaders and NGOs to exchange and share their experiences, research findings, best practises and success stories on all aspects of Tropical Agriculture.

It will also provide a premier interdisciplinary platform for all agriculture stakeholders to participate and discuss recent innovations, trends, and concerns as well as practical challenges encountered, pending or foreseen, and possible solutions adopted in the fields of Tropical Agriculture.

ICTA conference-cum-exhibition will be organized annually to stimulate and promote industrial development of enterprises by entrepreneurs based on advances in tropical agricultural sciences. It will also encourage youth, agriculture enthusiasts and communities to participate and contribute actively to the development of the agriculture sector of the country.

The conference will feature smart and precision farming through the application of AI (artificial intelligence) and ML (machine learning), IoT (the Internet of Things), Big Data and others.

download the Program download the Brochure Souvenir Programme ICTA 2023

Dr. Ganesh M Kishore
Keynote Address Speaker

Dr. Kishore is a co-founder and Co-Managing Partner at Spruce Capital Partners and MLS Capital Fund II. He has a distinguished track record of accomplishments in biotechnology research, development and business. After receiving Ph.D. in biochemistry from the Indian Institute of Science, Dr. Kishore did postdoctoral research in chemistry and biology at the University of Texas at Austin.
He then joined Monsanto, where he made major contributions to the discovery and development of Roundup Ready technology and manufacturing process for biochemical synthesis of the nonnutritive sweetener, Aspartame. During his tenure at Monsanto, he was named a Distinguished Science Fellow and won the prestigious Queeny Award. Before moving to DuPont, he served as the President of Monsanto’s Nutrition & Consumer Sector.
He joined DuPont as the Chief Technology Officer of Agriculture & Nutrition. He retired from DuPont as Chief Biotechnology Officer to join Malaysian Life Science Capital Fund, as CEO and later co-founded Spruce Capital Partners. He is an entrepreneur who has founded or Co-founded several life science companies.
He serves on the board of several companies, academic institutions, and the advisory board of Scientific American. He’s a recipient of Bio’s Legacy Award, ASPB’s Innovation Award among other recognitions.

MODULES

OILS, FATS AND PHYTONUTRIENTS

Oil palm, rubber, cocoa and coconut are perennial tree crops which contribute to the economy of Malaysia significantly. Covid-19 had shown the importance of palm oil for the world vegetable oil market.
While the large plantation companies have their own research and advisory services, small-holders need special assistance to compete in the international market. With the rising cost of fertilizers and scarcity workers, there is a need for new technologies to attract young entrepreneurs.
The use of exoskeleton technology, ai, robotics and drones to carry heavy loads such as oil palm bunches, harvesting, fertilizer application, loose fruit collection etc.
There is an urgent need to improve the productivity and income of small-holders. Formation of cooperatives by small-holders will improve the economy of scale. The full use of inter-cropping between inter rows of oil palm and rubber will enhance the productivity of the land. Crops such as pineapple, water-melon and vegetables have been cultivated rather successfully.

CHAIRPERSONS:

YBHG DATIN PADUKA SETIA DATO’ DR AINI IDERIS

YBHG PROF DATO’  DR AILEEN TAN SHAU HWAI

Current estimates predict that we will require ~70% more food than is currently produced and as incomes rise, individuals are moving toward more energy dense diets that often include more protein. Dietary proteins are important nutrients and are classified into animal proteins (meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy), and plant proteins. There is also an increasing demand on aquatic foods.
The livestock industry worldwide comprises ruminants and non-ruminants. The ruminant sector which consists of beef and dairy cattle, dairy buffaloes, sheep, and goats are still raised in small-scale in many Asian countries. Malaysia for example, produces only 29 per cent of its ruminant needs, with imports making up the rest. However, the ruminant sub-sector is vital in the agriculture sector as one of the protein sources besides poultry and fish. Food security has become a crucial issue in meat production.
The tremendous growth of the poultry sector in Malaysia, on the other hand, has been largely propelled by the private sector. It has evolved into a progressive, organized and developed industry with an annual production of eggs and meat valued between MYR1.78 billion to MYR6.03 billion annually.
Aquatic food play an important role in global food provision, accounting for about 20 percent of animal protein and 6.7 percent of all protein consumed by humans globally.
The topics related to the importance of diversified dietary protein sources for food security will be covered by eminent speakers in this session and would provide a glimpse of the exciting future using innovative technologies.

CHAIRPERSON:
ASSOC PROF DR MAH SIAU HUI

Complex Carbohydrates are essential for human body as the main source of energy and comprise sugars, starches, and dietary fiber that are commonly found in plant foods and dairy products. The recommended intake of carbohydrates per day is 45-65% based on the total calories, depending on the body size, daily activity level and blood sugar control. Our body breaks down the carbohydrates into glucose, which is the primary energy source for the brain and muscles. Foods with high amount of carbohydrates include bread, beans, cereals, potatoes, rice, and sago.
Different types of carbohydrates, monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides are formed from the combination of polymers. Monosaccharides are single unit sugar with the examples of glucose, galactose (milk and dairy products), and fructose (vegetable and fruits) while disaccharides are made up of two sugar molecules such as lactose (milk) and sucrose (table sugar). Polysaccharides comprise more sugars and may consist of hundreds or thousands of monosaccharides. Polysaccharides act as food stores for plants and animals and the examples include glycogen (stored energy in liver and muscles), starches (wheat, potatoes, and rice) and cellulose (structural components of plants).

CHAIRPERSON:
MR HENRY FU HWA MENG

Fruits and Vegetables are essential components for a healthy diet. According to the latest data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the world produced 1,837 million tons of fruits and vegetables in 2019, i.e. 0.8% more than in the previous year but slightly less than two years before, which shows that production has stabilized.
The Ministry of Agriculture & Food Security, Malaysia, has formulated the National AgroFood Policy 2021-2030 (NAP 2.0) since last year with the overall Policy Statement :-
“A sustainable, resilient and technology-driven agrofood sector that prioritizes food security and nutrition while driving economic growth and enhancing the wellbeing of the people”.
A total of 5 Key Policy Thrusts and 4 Key Subsectors which are considered to be the pre-requisites to food security has been identified to support the overall policy framework and agrofood sector development for the 10-year period from 2021 – 2030.
One of the 4 Key Sub-sectors identified was the Fruits & Vegetables Subsector. The fruits and vegetables strategies in NAP 2.0 will focus on:
• Boosting production volume
• Improving Self-sufficiency levels
• Higher export value
• Enhance efficiency of land use, and
• Improving the livelihood and income levels of the fruits and vegetables producers for the next 10 years.

With the adoption and implementation of the above Agrofood modernization approach, it will augur well and will be partly instrumental for safeguarding the future of National Food Security in Malaysia.

Who should attend ICTA 2023?

  • Corporate Leaders
  • Scientists and Technologists
  • Financiers, Analysts and Investors
  • Economists and Policy Makers
  • Academics and R&D Personnel
  • Government Agencies
  • Agriculturists
  • Environmental and Social NGOs
  • Solution providers
  • Entrepreneurs
  • State corporations
  • Startup Ventures
  • Venture capitalists
EVENT HIGHLIGHT

The event was successfully conducted from 16 to 18 October 2023. thank all organisers, supporters, speakers, exhibitors and participants from far & near

Dr. David Appleton

Deputy Chief Research & Development Officer, Simon Darby Plantation Berhad

Mr. Tan Say Peng

MPOB

Dr. Ravi

The colour world of oil palm

Dr. Ahmad Kamil Bin Hj. Mohd Jaaffar

Deputy Director General (R&D), Malaysian Cocoa Board

Mr. Kalaimugilan Balakrishnan

R&D Manager, National Land Finance
Co-operative Society Limited (NLFCS)

Prof. Dato Dr. Quaza Nizamuddin Hassan

President of Asian Veterinary Association & Former DG DVS

Mr. Teh Wee Chye

Malayan Flour Mills Berhad, Executive Deputy Chairman cum Managing Director

Mr. Razib Basiron

Saujana Agro Trading, Co-Founder

Mr. Khoo Jia Zin

Aquaculture Solution Architect, Co-Founder

Dr. Mohd Shukri Bin Mat Ali @ Ibrahim

Director, Agrobiodiversity and Environment Research Centre (BE) MARDI

Mr. Martin Rushworth

Commercial Head Palm Oil Platform

Dr. Jeevan A/L Karruppan, MARDI

Rice in Human Nutrition and Health

Dr. Aida Hamimi bt Ibrahim

Deputy Director, Enzyme Technology & Fermentation program, Science & Food Technology Research Centre, MARDI

Dr. Ahmad Robin Wahab

Principal Consultant DEWINA Consult Sdn.Bhd.

Dato Dr. Aini

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Dato Aileen

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Dr. Mah Siau Hui

Complex Carbohydrate Moderator,
Ass. Prof. ChM

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Prof. Tan Sri Ong

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ICTA 2023

Group Photo

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