Precision agriculture, AI gaining traction in fighting climate crisis, ensuring food securityPrecision agriculture, AI gaining traction in fighting climate crisis, ensuring food security

Agriculture remains a cornerstone of the global economy – few would argue otherwise.

With a growing world population, the demand for food continues to rise. At the same time, sustainability efforts have increased the demand for renewable raw materials in manufacturing. Agriculture supplies many of these, from edible oils like palm oil to natural polymers such as rubber.

However, as land becomes scarce, agriculture must evolve to be more resource-efficient. This is where precision agriculture is making an impact – allowing for better management of agricultural inputs through advanced technologies. Malaysia, too, is making strides in this field.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, robotics, and blockchain is transforming agriculture worldwide. These technologies tackle pressing issues such as food security, climate change, labour shortages, and supply chain inefficiencies.

AI revolution in agriculture

AI is changing agriculture through data-driven decision-making, precision farming, and predictive analytics. AI-powered tools analyse data from sensors, drones, and satellites to optimise irrigation, fertilisation, and pest control – reducing resource waste while increasing yields.

AI models can predict weather patterns, crop diseases, and market demands, helping farmers make informed choices. AI-driven systems also monitor crop health, soil conditions, and livestock in real time, enabling early detection of problems.

Labour shortages remain a major issue in agriculture. AI-powered robots and autonomous machinery are filling the gap, performing tasks like harvesting and weeding with greater efficiency.

Biotechnology and sustainable farming

Biotechnology is improving crop resilience, productivity, and sustainability. Genetically modified organism (GMO) crops are designed to withstand drought, resist pests, and provide higher nutritional value – helping farmers adapt to climate change.

Precision gene-editing technologies like CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) are enhancing crops without introducing foreign DNA, making them more widely accepted.

Microbial-based solutions are replacing chemical fertilisers, reducing environmental impact and improving soil health. Meanwhile, cellular agriculture – lab-grown meat and dairy products – is emerging as an alternative to traditional livestock farming.

While the US, Brazil, and Argentina are leading adopters of GMO crops, Europe is focusing on non-GMO biotech solutions like gene editing.

Rise of robotics in farming

Robotics is automating labour-intensive tasks and improving efficiency. Self-driving tractors, harvesters, and planters reduce reliance on human labour while increasing precision.

Drones are being used for crop monitoring, spraying, and planting – especially in large-scale farms. AI-equipped robots are identifying and removing weeds or picking fruits and vegetables with high accuracy.

Robotics plays a key role in vertical farming and greenhouse operations, where automated systems regulate lighting, watering, and harvesting. Japan and the Netherlands lead in agricultural robotics, while developing nations are adopting cost-effective solutions to address labour shortages.

Blockchain in agriculture

Blockchain technology is enhancing transparency, traceability, and efficiency in agricultural supply chains.

It enables end-to-end traceability of food products – ensuring safety and reducing fraud. Smart contracts automate transactions between farmers, suppliers, and buyers – cutting delays and middlemen costs.

Blockchain verifies sustainable and ethical farming practices – allowing consumers to make informed choices. It also helps smallholder farmers access credit and insurance through verifiable records of production and sales.

While the US and EU nations are using blockchain for food traceability, developing regions like Africa are leveraging it for fair trade and financial inclusion.

Convergence of technologies

A significant trend is the merging of these technologies into comprehensive solutions. AI-powered robots are performing complex agricultural tasks like selective harvesting and precision spraying.

AI is accelerating biotech research by analysing genetic data to develop improved crop varieties.

Blockchain is integrating with IoT devices to create secure, tamper-proof records of farm operations and supply chain activities.

While the potential is immense, challenges remain – particularly for smallholder farmers in developing countries, who often struggle with the high costs of advanced technologies.

Limited internet access and digital infrastructure further hinder adoption, while strict regulations on GMOs and gene-edited crops in certain regions create additional barriers. Concerns over data privacy, job displacement, and environmental impact must also be addressed.

Malaysia’s progress and challenges

The global agricultural technology market is set for significant growth – driven by rising food demand, sustainability goals, and rapid technological advancements. Collaboration between governments, private companies, and farmers will be crucial to ensuring equitable access and adoption.

Malaysia has made inroads in precision farming, particularly in organised plantation agriculture. However, adoption among small farmers remains limited.

During a recent visit to Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) – still a powerhouse in agricultural research despite its name change – my team and I were briefed on promising research and development (R&D) breakthroughs in precision farming.

The real challenge? Getting these innovations to market.

Professor Datuk Dr Ahmad Ibrahim is from the Tan Sri Omar Centre for STI Policy, IISDS, UCSI University, and is also an Associate Fellow at the Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies, Universiti Malaya.