THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is looking to adopt China’s smart farming technologies, as the Philippines seeks to improve its own farm productivity.
“We have to modernize agriculture and find the right technology that will allow us to leapfrog,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said during a recent visit to a vegetable farm in China.
He led a Philippine delegation to Zhejiang Huihong Fruit and Vegetable Farm in Zhejiang, China, where they observed digital systems monitoring crops and managing farm operations.
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 Filipino officials also toured greenhouses for a close look at fruit and vegetable cultivation practices, including precision management and environmentally friendly crop protection techniques.
The delegation was briefed on the farm’s operations, quality control and ecological planting models, as well as potential cooperation in agricultural technology and fruit and vegetable production.
Tiu Laurel said the technologies could provide useful models for Philippine farms, particularly in managing water, fertilizer, growing conditions, and production data.
The DA said cooperation with China could include technology transfer and industry partnerships in precision agriculture, crop protection, and ecological farming.
The initiative comes as the Philippines seeks to boost agricultural productivity amid climate risks, resource constraints, and uneven access to modern farming technologies.
