ICA UTM Strengthens Presence in Biofertilizer Innovation at Asian PGPR Society Pre-AGM Talk

SERDANG, May 7 – The Innovation Centre in Agritechnology for Advanced Bioprocessing (ICA), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), took part in the Pre-AGM Talk organized by the Asian PGPR Society for Sustainable Agriculture – Malaysian Chapter, hosted at Dewan Pertanian, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). The Malaysian Chapter of the Asian PGPR Society, established in 2020, is a non-profit scientific society dedicated to advancing Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR)-based technologies in Malaysia. This Pre-AGM Talk was in collaboration with the Faculty of Agriculture and the Institute of Plantation Studies, UPM. The event served as a key platform to exchange knowledge and foster collaborations among scientists, agronomists, and industry players focused on sustainable agricultural practices.

As the keynote speaker, Prof. Dr. rer. Nat. Hesham Ali El Enshasy, Director of ICA, delivered an insightful talk entitled “Techno-Industrial Platform Development for Biofertilizers: Bottlenecks and Challenges.” Prof. Hesham elaborated on the global and local challenges facing the biofertilizer industry, including process scalability, cost-effectiveness, and regulatory bottlenecks. Emphasizing the Malaysian agricultural landscape, he highlighted the increasing relevance of biofertilizers as a sustainable solution for enhancing crop productivity and soil health while reducing dependence on chemical inputs.

“Malaysia’s transition toward sustainable agriculture is timely, and biofertilizer innovation plays a central role. With our local crops, tropical climate, and growing demand for organic produce, the market readiness is promising,” said Prof. Hesham during his keynote.

In parallel, ICA UTM participated in the event’s showcase, featuring its flagship product, FERTILLA Baja Biokompos Azolla. This fully matured, odourless compost product is enriched with nitrogen-rich Azolla and fortified with microbial strains such as Paenibacillus polymyxa and Trichoderma asperellum. FERTILLA provides slow-release nutrients and promotes disease resistance—positioning it as a viable substitute for chemical fertilizers. The product is currently open for licensing opportunities.

The ICA booth also highlighted its offerings in training programs, analytical services, and bioprocessing consultation. These services include chemical and physical analyses across food, feed, soil, fertilizer, pharmaceuticals, oils and fats, and microbiological examinations—catering to both research and industrial clients.

Participants found the event both informative and timely.

“The insights shared, especially on local challenges and innovations in biofertilizer development, were very relevant.” said Dr. Ting Ho Seng, Agricultural Entrepreneur and Founder of Back2Nature Regenerative Farm.

ICA extends its appreciation to the organizers for the invitation and looks forward to further collaborations to promote innovation in sustainable agriculture and microbial technology.

Source: UTM NewsHub