DA taps smart farming to lift yields, bridge tech divide
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) is exploring smart farming technologies for the Philippine agriculture sector to boost farm productivity and close technological gaps.
“We have to modernize agriculture, and we have to find the right technology that will allow us to leapfrog,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a statement on Thursday.
READ: Agri innovation investments to boost output, food security — WFPF
Tiu Laurel led a Philippine delegation to Zhejiang Huihong Fruit and Vegetable Farm in Zhejiang province, where they studied digital systems used to monitor crops and manage farm operations.
During the tour, the delegation visited the farm’s greenhouses and examined fruit and vegetable cultivation practices, such as green protection and precision management techniques. They also tasted grapes, plums, and jujubes produced at the farm.
Zhejiang Huihong Biotechnology Co. Ltd. Zheng Yunyu discussed the farm’s smart agriculture data platform, which integrates environmental monitoring, water and fertilizer management, and real-time production data.Representatives from the Philippines and the Zhejiang farm met afterward to discuss the farm’s industrial operations, quality control, and ecological planting models.
“The bigger task will be determining which technologies can work economically and effectively in Philippine farms, where conditions vary sharply in scale, infrastructure, financing, and digital access,” the agency said.
They also explored potential collaboration in agricultural technology and fruit and vegetable production, focusing on technology transfer and industry partnerships in precision agriculture, crop protection, and ecological farming.
READ: LandBank, ACPC launch rice modernization loan facility
Tiu Laurel said there was “broad room” for a Philippine-China partnership, with both parties expressing interest in turning the exchange into practical collaboration.
The agriculture chief said the country should keep using farming approaches that have already proven effective elsewhere.
“There’s nothing wrong with copying the success of others if it will help others,” Tiu Laurel said.
The DA said the recent visit to Zhejiang province came at a time when the country’s farm sector faces pressure to raise production “while dealing with climate risks, resource constraints and uneven access to modern farm technology.” /pai
