Many farmers, especially in small and medium farms, struggle with the adoption of digital technologies due to a lack of digital fluency, limited technical support, and uncertainty about the return on investment. This slows down the shift towards precision agriculture, which is important for improving productivity and efficiency. There is also a lack of easy-to-use, affordable systems that can support real-time monitoring, data-driven decisions, and technology validation on actual farms. These gaps prevent wider adoption of farmtech solutions and leave many farmers without access to tools that could help them improve yields and reduce losses. Farmers need a practical system that helps them learn and adopt digital tools, test technology in real conditions, and gain confidence in its benefits—especially in a way that supports their everyday farm activities.

The solution is FARMNEURA – a practical system that helps farmers learn, test, and use digital farming tools directly on their farms. It acts like a training and testing ground where farmers can try out technologies such as IoT sensors, automation, and AI tools in real farming conditions. FARMNEURA also offers hands-on support and training to build farmers’ confidence and skills. This approach makes it easier for farmers to see the benefits of digital farming, improve their productivity, and support wider use of smart farming across the country.

The innovation of this project lies in FARMNEURA’s unique “farmtech sandbox” approach—a first-of-its-kind system in Malaysia that combines real-farm testing, digital learning, and technology validation in one platform. Unlike traditional training or isolated tech pilots, FARMNEURA allows farmers to experiment with smart farming tools (like IoT, AI, and automation) in their own farming environment, with live feedback and guided support. It helps farmers learn by doing, making the adoption of digital tools more practical and less risky. This integrated model supports faster, smarter, and more confident use of digital agriculture, especially for small and medium-scale farmers who are often left behind in tech adoption.