Malaysia | Converting ag waste to feed and fertilizer

2026 Top Agri-food Pioneers: Willie Ng

Willie Ng is redefining how agricultural waste, technology and smallholder livelihoods intersect in Southeast Asia. Through Global Cerah, he has developed an integrated circular economy model that transforms agricultural waste into protein-rich animal feed and organic fertilizer, cutting farmers’ production costs by up to 45% while reducing dependence on imported inputs. By combining IoT-enabled traceability, automation and rural technology transfer with deep community engagement, he tackles waste pollution, high feed costs, soil degradation and rural underemployment in a single, integrated approach. His solutions are designed for real-world adoption among smallholder, indigenous and rural farmers who are often excluded from advanced agritech innovation. Since 2021, his leadership has supported more than 5,000 farmers, processed over 50,000 tons of agricultural waste and created 3,000 rural jobs. By pairing technological innovation with grassroots delivery, Ng proves that circular agriculture can be scalable, trusted and transformative for rural communities.