[JOHOR BAHRU] Malaysia’s FarmByte, an agri-food company under the Johor Corporation Group (JCorp), has joined hands with Singapore’s agritech company Archisen to develop a smart indoor vertical farm in Johor Bahru.

The facility will span 52,000 square feet with an estimated total capital requirement of RM36.7 million (S$10.3 million), the two companies said in a joint statement.

The farm, slated to be operational by the end of 2024, will have an annual production of over 306,000 kg of vegetables such as crystal lettuce, mustard greens and ice plants.

They intend to market and sell the vegetables in Malaysia, as well as put the fresh produce on supermarket shelves in Singapore.

FarmByte said it will invest RM12.2 million into Archisen as a reflection of the former’s commitment to foster the long-term growth of the company and the partnership.

In this joint venture (JV), FarmByte will own 70 per cent of the stake and the remainder will be owned by Archisen.

Source : [https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/singapore-agritech-firm-archisen-partners-malaysia-s-farmbyte-to-develop-vertical-farm-in-johor](https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/singapore-agritech-firm-archisen-partners-malaysia-s-farmbyte-to-develop-vertical-farm-in-johor)

Archisen CEO Vincent Wei (third from right) and FarmByte CEO Syed Aiman Kifli Syed Jaafar (second from left) signed an agreement to build a new indoor vertical farm in Johor Bahru. PHOTO: FARMBYTE

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Singapore agritech firm Archisen partners Malaysia’s FarmByte to develop vertical farm in Johor

**KUALA LUMPUR, 12 FEBRUARY 2025** – CGC Digital, Funding Societies | Modalku (Funding Societies), and FarmByte signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at narrowing the financing gap for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the agriculture segment. This strategic collaboration seeks to enhance access to financing and support the growth of agricultural businesses, thereby contributing to Malaysia's food security agenda and economic resilience.

Food security remains a critical concern for Malaysia as the nation grapples with challenges such as climate change, urbanization, a growing population and reliance on imported food. Despite the importance and urgency to address food insecurity issues, MSMEs in agriculture sector face significant hurdles in securing financing to grow their businesses and to enhance productivity.

Many small-scale farmers lack the necessary collateral to secure traditional loans, which further limits their access to financial resources. A gap in financial literacy among farmers also hinders their ability to navigate complex financing options effectively. Furthermore, agriculture segment is often perceived as a high-risk sector due to its vulnerability to climate change and market volatility, making financial institutions hesitant to extend credit.

The collaboration between CGC Digital, Funding Societies, and FarmByte aims to have positive impact on local farmers. By providing innovative financing options, local farmers will have better access to the capital needed for sustainable operations and business expansion. Improved financial literacy and access to modern agricultural technologies will enhance farmers' productivity and efficiency. Implementing risk assessment and management strategies will help farmers manage uncertainties related to climate change and market fluctuations.

The focus on sustainability will ensure that farming practices are environmentally friendly and economically viable in the long term. By addressing the financial challenges faced by farmers, this collaboration will empower them to become more resilient and self-sufficient.

**Yushida Husin, Chief Executive Officer of CGC Digital** said, “At CGC Digital, we are deeply committed to supporting initiatives that address the critical issue of food security in Malaysia. By collaborating with Funding Societies and FarmByte, we aim to close the funding gap and enable local farmers with financial access they need to thrive. We believe that leveraging farming data as an alternative credit scoring metric will not only enhance the accuracy of credit assessments but also provide a more inclusive and supportive financial ecosystem for our agricultural MSMEs. This collaboration is a significant step towards building a resilient and sustainable agricultural sector that can meet the growing demands of our nation."

**Wong Kah Meng, Group Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officer of Funding Societies Malaysia** remarked, "This partnership with CGC Digital reflects our shared commitment to empowering underserved businesses across Malaysia. We strive to build a more inclusive financing ecosystem that fuels the growth of micro and small enterprises.

By integrating CGC Digital’s expertise in credit enhancement with Funding Societies’ advanced digital financing platform, on the back of FarmByte’s agricultural ecosystem, we aim to empower farmers and agribusinesses with greater access to capital that they need to expand, create jobs, and drive economic progress. This collaboration not only strengthens the agricultural value chain but contributes to food security and economic resilience in Malaysia.”

According to **Syed Aiman Kifli Syed Jaafar, Chief Executive Officer of FarmByte**, the partnership with CGC Digital and Funding Societies aligns with the company’s vision to revolutionize farming by providing farmers with both financial and technological resources.

“Our goal is to empower MSMEs in the agriculture sector with greater access to financing, enabling them to scale their businesses and enhance productivity,” he shared. “Through this collaboration, we are bridging the financial gap and equipping agropreneurs with the resources and support needed to drive a more resilient and sustainable agrofood ecosystem.”

Through this MoU CGC Digital, Funding Societies, and FarmByte will leverage their combined expertise to implement innovative financing solutions that address the unique needs of MSMEs in the agriculture sector.

CGC Digital will play the key role of mitigating risks as a leading credit guarantee provider and enhance its probability of default model with farm-level data as an alternative risk measurement for agribusinesses, thereby de-risking lending and improve access to financing through data-driven credit evaluations.

Funding Societies will provide fast, flexible funding solutions utilizing alternative credit assessments to serve underserved farmers and agribusinesses that may lack traditional collateral.

FarmByte, will contribute farm-level data and insights to enhance credit scoring models, improving risk evaluation and financial inclusion.

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**About FarmByte**
FarmByte is pioneering a new era in Malaysia’s agrofood industry through innovative technology and data-driven solutions. As a subsidiary of Johor Corporation (JCorp), FarmByte is committed to enhancing national food security, improving production efficiency, and uplifting the livelihoods of farmers across Malaysia.
For more information, please visit: www.farmbyte.com

**About CGC Digital**
CGC Digital is a FinTech company, established as the digital arm of Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia Berhad. Registered in July 2022, its primary goal is to empower Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by creating a simpler and more seamless financing experience in the digital ecosystem.
For more information about CGC Digital, please visit www.cgcdigital.com.my

**About Funding Societies | Modalku**
Funding Societies | Modalku is the largest unified SME digital finance platform in Southeast Asia. It is licensed in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, registered in Malaysia, and operates in Vietnam. The FinTech company provides US$1 billion annually of business financing to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In recent years, it has made strategic milestones including its acquisition of regional digital payments platform CardUp and co-investment into Bank Index in Indonesia.

Funding Societies | Modalku is backed by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Maybank, Khazanah Nasional Berhad, CGC Digital (the digital arm of the Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia Berhad), SBVA (previously SoftBank Ventures Asia), Peak XV Partners (previously Sequoia Capital India), Alpha JWC Ventures, SMBC Bank, BRI Ventures, VNG Corporation, Rapyd Ventures, Endeavor, EBDI, SGInnovative, Qualgro, and Golden Gate Ventures among others.

It has received accolades through the years including: Brands for Good (2019, 2023), Global SME Excellence Award, Global SME Finance Awards by IFC (2021-2023) Global Startup Awards (2020), MAS FinTech Award (2016, 2021), Singapore’s Fastest-Growing Companies 2024 (a list of 100 companies compiled by The Straits Times and Statista), High-Growth Companies in Asia-Pacific 2024 (a list of 500 companies compiled by the Financial Times and Statista) .
For more information, please visit: www.fundingsocieties.com.my

From left to right: Yushida Husin, CEO of CGC Digital., Wong Kah Meng, Group COO & CEO of Funding Societies Malaysia, and Syed Aiman Kifli Syed Jaafar, CEO of FarmByte

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FarmByte, CGC Digital, and Funding Societies Sign MoU to Narrow Financing Gap for MSMEs in Agriculture Segment

_Written by Mohd Fakhri Mohd Noor. This article first appeared in Digital Edge, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on August 26, 2024 - September 1, 2024_

The agrofood sector plays an important role in Malaysia, contributing to over 11% of gross domestic product. This is significant, and among the many players in the sector, we have the heart and driving force of the sector — the farmers — to thank.

Our farmers play a crucial role in feeding our population. However, they face numerous challenges in doing so — and these trials are in addition to their current operating environment which has extreme weather events, rising geopolitical tensions and complex global supply chains all at play.


From our ongoing conversations with the farmers in our FarmByte ecosystem, we know that a key issue that farmers face is their vulnerability to market fluctuations. This, coupled with their weak market connections and a lack of transport options for their produce, means that farmers are often unable to access more lucrative markets. The consequence of this is their produce is sold at lower prices.

At the same time, many farmers still lack insights into the types of crops to plant and key information on current cutting-edge farming techniques that can help them increase their yield and thus earn better incomes.

How data-driven platforms can help farmers
In the face of these challenges, we believe that the need for data-driven technology or having a data-driven platform is more apparent than ever. This is why we at FarmByte, conceptualised and launched our FarmByte app, which leverages a data-driven approach.

A data-driven platform allows farmers to make informed decisions based on real-time data and predictive analytics. This data can range from soil health and weather patterns to current market trends.

By leveraging such information, farmers can get the insights and guidance needed to optimise their crop selection, planting schedules and resource allocation. For example, precise weather forecast data can enable farmers to make informed decisions about irrigation, planting schedules and crop management.

Additionally, having data on market trends, supply and demand fluctuations and historical pricing would allow farmers to grow crops that are more likely to fetch higher prices, thus increasing their profitability.

Another key pain point of the farmers whom we engage with is that they are often underpaid by intermediaries or the middlemen. However, with data-driven platforms, farmers can facilitate direct connections with buyers, bypassing the middlemen and, hence, reducing transaction costs.

By participating in digital marketplaces, farmers can also reach a broader audience and negotiate better terms for their products. This direct market access not only increases their revenue but also fosters stronger relationships with buyers, promoting long-term business sustainability.

With sustainability being a growing concern in agrofood, data-driven platforms play a crucial role in promoting environment-friendly practices. By providing insights into efficient resource use, these platforms can help farmers reduce their ecological footprint.

For example, data on water usage and soil moisture levels can guide precision irrigation practices, conserving water resources. Similarly, data on crop health can inform integrated pest management strategies, reducing reliance on chemical pesticides.

Moving up the value chain
It has become increasingly clear that farmers have a lot to gain from data-driven platforms.

These platforms serve as a catalyst for transforming traditional agrofood into a more efficient, sustainable and profitable sector.

By providing actionable insights, optimising resource use and facilitating market access, as well as improving financial inclusion, these platforms enable farmers to move up the value chain. As our agrofood sector continues to evolve, getting farmers to leverage and embrace data-driven platforms will be essential for farmers seeking to thrive in a competitive global market.



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Data Driven: Empowering and uplifting agrofood farmers

**SERDANG**: Agrobank menjalin kerjasama strategik dengan FarmByte Sdn Bhd, sebuah syarikat agromakanan digital di bawah Johor Corporation (JCorp) melalui peruntukan RM12 juta sebagai tanda sokongan kepada Program Pembiayaan Pertanian Ladang Kontrak FarmByte yang merangkumi perbelanjaan operasi ladang.

Presiden dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif (CEO) Agrobank, Datuk Tengku Ahmad Badli Shah Raja Hussin, berkata kerjasama itu adalah sebagai usaha mentransformasi dan memperkukuh landskap pertanian Malaysia selain bertujuan memperkukuhkan sektor agro-makanan negara.

Katanya, kerjasama itu juga bertujuan memperkasakan petani kecil dengan menyediakan sokongan pembiayaan dan akses kepada pasaran sekali gus memacu ke arah pertanian yang lestari dan menguntungkan.

"Kami amat berbesar hati dapat bekerjasama dengan FarmByte dalam inisiatif baharu ini. Dengan menawarkan sokongan kewangan dan jaminan pasaran untuk 50 petani dengan bantuan kewangan maksimum sehingga RM239,940 bagi setiap peserta, kami bukan sahaja meningkatkan taraf hidup petani tetapi juga menyumbang kepada jaminan bekalan makanan Malaysia.

"Kerjasama ini adalah langkah penting ke arah membina sektor pertanian yang lebih berdaya tahan. Selain itu, Agrobank berharap untuk melihat lebih ramai usahawan terbabit dalam sektor pertanian dan kami percaya MAHA (Pameran Pertanian, Hortikultur dan Agropelancongan Malaysia) adalah salah satu platform untuk mendekati komuniti yang kurang mendapat perhatian," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian pada majlis menandatangani perjanjian rakan niaga strategik Agrobank dengan Farmbyte sempena MAHA 2024 di sini, hari ini.

Perjanjian itu ditandatangani oleh Tengku Ahmad Badli Shah mewakili Agrobank, manakala FarmByte oleh CEO, Syed Aiman Kifli Syed Jaafar.

Sementara itu, Syed Aiman berkata, kerjasama dengan Agrobank selari dengan visi syarikat untuk merevolusikan pertanian dengan menyediakan sumber kewangan dan teknologi kepada petani.

"Matlamat kami adalah untuk memperkasa petani dalam menghasilkan tanaman berkualiti dan bernilai tinggi, seterusnya memastikan rantaian nilai agromakanan yang lebih mampan dan menguntungkan.

"Dengan sokongan Agrobank, kami bukan sahaja dapat menawarkan kepada petani bantuan kewangan tetapi juga alat dan pandangan yang mereka perlukan untuk berjaya dalam pasaran yang kompetitif," katanya

Perkongsian itu adalah perjanjian pengambilan atau 'offtake' yang terjamin, di mana FarmByte komited untuk membeli semua hasil tuaian daripada petani yang menyertai program ini pada kadar yang kompetitif.

Perjanjian terbabit menyediakan pasaran yang selamat dan stabil kepada petani, mengurangkan risiko kewangan yang berkaitan dengan pertanian dan memastikan rantaian bekalan yang konsisten.

Melalui FarmByte, petani akan mendapat akses kepada data masa nyata mengenai permintaan tanaman, trend bekalan, dan ramalan harga.

Gabungan pendekatan berasaskan data dan sokongan kewangan daripada Agrobank, ia dijangka akan meningkatkan hasil tuaian dan kestabilan pasaran untuk petani-petani kecil.

Sumber: https://www.bharian.com.my/bisnes/korporat/2024/09/1297019/agrobank-farmbyte-bekerjasama-tingkat-taraf-hidup-petani-kecil 

CEO FarmByte, Syed Aiman (tiga dari kanan) bersama Presiden dan CEO Agrobank, Tengku Ahmad Badli Shah (tiga dari kiri) memegang plak Program Pembiayaan Petani Kontrak pada majlis menandatangani perjanjian rakan niaga strategik di MAHA 2024, Serdang