KUCHING, March 22: Sarawak’s Trade and Tourism Office in Singapore (Statos) is partnering with Singapore’s vertical farm founder, Sky Urban Solutions, to introduce their unique farming methods into Sarawak.
According to Statos chief executive officer Chew Chang Guan in a press statement today, this new high-density approach to profitable and reliable farming can help breathe new life into Sarawak’s isolated rural communities.
“It also has the added benefit of providing exciting new skilled employment opportunities that will help keep our young tech savvy generation working within their own communities,” he said.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Statos and Sky Urban Solutions was signed by Sky Urban Solutions chairman Dr Ngiam Tong Tau and Chew during a ceremony held on March 16, this year.
The agreement will see Statos working together with the Sarawak’s Ministry for the Modernisation of Agriculture to introduce the technology to local farmers and seek out suitable sites and interested parties in Sarawak to joint venture or operate as franchisees.
As the base level of these vertical farms make use of a series of multi-purpose shipping containers, the ground floor area can provide a great Agri-tourism opportunity with space for accommodation units and a restaurant or shopping facilities for visitors.
Sky Green is the world’s first low carbon, hydraulic driven vertical farm. It uses green urban solutions to achieve production of safe, fresh and delicious vegetables while taking up minimal land, water and energy resources.
Vertical farms can be used anywhere as they do not depend on the availability of large tracts of arable land.
The system consists of enclosed rotating tiers of growing troughs mounted on a A-shape aluminum frame. The frame can be as high as 9 metres tall with 38 tiers of growing troughs, which can accommodate soil or hydroponics.
The troughs rotate around the aluminum frame to ensure that the plants receive uniform sunlight, irrigation and nutrients as they pass through different points in the structure.
The vertical farming system is not limited to vegetables but can also be used for live fish and prawn farming in a controlled environment.
For more information about the system, email info@statos.com.sg. — DayakDaily
