China’s smart farming technology under study

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture is studying China’s smart farming technologies as the Philippines looks for ways to modernize production, improve farm productivity and leapfrog technological gaps.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. recently led a Philippine delegation to Zhejiang Huihong Fruit and Vegetable Farm in Zhejiang province, where officials examined digital systems used to monitor crops and manage farm operations.

“We have to modernize agriculture, and we have to find the right technology that will allow us to leapfrog,” Tiu Laurel said, underscoring the need to identify technologies that can be adapted to Philippine conditions.

He also said the Philippines should not shy away from adopting approaches that have already worked elsewhere.

“There’s nothing wrong with copying the success of others if it will help others,” Tiu Laurel said.

Zheng Yunyu, founder of Zhejiang Huihong Biotechnology Co. Ltd., briefed the delegation on the farm’s smart agriculture data platform, which integrates environmental monitoring, water and fertilizer management and real-time production data.

The Philippine officials toured the farm’s greenhouses and examined fruit and vegetable cultivation practices, including green protection and precision management techniques. They also sampled grapes, plums and jujubes produced at the farm.

A meeting afterward covered the farm’s industrial operations, quality control and ecological planting models, as well as potential cooperation in agricultural technology and fruit and vegetable production.

Tiu Laurel said there was broad room for Philippine-China cooperation and expressed interest in translating the exchange into practical collaboration.

For the DA, the technology on display offers a possible template for improving how Philippine farms manage water, fertilizer, growing conditions and production data.

The delegation’s visit also comes as the Philippines faces pressure to raise agricultural productivity while dealing with climate risks, resource constraints and uneven access to modern farm technology.

The DA said cooperation could focus on technology transfer and industry partnerships in precision agriculture, crop protection and ecological farming.

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.