The Rise of AgriTech in Asia: Transforming Traditional Agriculture

Agriculture has been the backbone of the Asian continent, as it supplies food for 60 percent of the world population. This field not only satisfies the world's hunger but also produces raw materials for other major industrial sectors. Hence, agriculture is expected to grow by up to 3.28 percent in the FY25, which will be fueled by agriculture technology in Asia, also known as agritech.

The present agritech transformation in Asia has modified the idea of agriculture by modifying the traditional agricultural industry into a more advanced, cost-effective and sustainable industry.

A few of the major reasons for Asian agriculture innovation are population growth, food security, urbanization, government policies, innovation, investment and sustainability concerns. Technological determinism has been supporting precision farming in Asia, assisting in achieving the demand and supply of a growing population, and encouraging sustainable farming practices in Asia.

Agriculture is the backbone of the livelihood security system of nearly 700 million people in the country and we need to build our food security on the foundation of home grown food.

-Dr. M. S. Swaminathan, Father of the Green Revolution

How is AgriTech transforming traditional agriculture in Asia?

The idea and practice of agritech is quite simple, as it facilitates farmers of different scales. When we look back at the Asian agrarian practices, the field has always been dominated by the traditional methodologies, which are time-consuming and labor-intensive. It was a huge challenge for the traditional farming production to break the cycle of climate change to meet the growing population's needs around the world.

To tackle these modern problems, many government organizations and companies started policy formation and innovation to build agricultural technology solutions. These solutions involved modern tech such as AI, blockchain, automation and ideas of smart farming, making the present field a more reliable and sustainable one. The new age of agriculture is about the utilization of technology and is more inclusive, as it includes the means of helping small farmers.

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Top trends in agriculture technology in Asia 2025

To support the consistent-sustainable development, over the past few years, there has been a surge in innovation about agricultural tech in Southeast Asia, among them few of the Best AgriTech innovations in Southeast Asia involve:

• Farm automation practiced in Asia not only eliminates manual labour but also supports the effective use of water in irrigation through its intelligent sensors, which can reduce energy consumption.
• Blockchain agriculture in Asia utilizes blockchain technology in the agriculture supply chain to increase the quality and food safety. This particular practice has also supported fairness in the wage system and environmental sustainability.

One of the blockchain food supply chains from Singapore, DiMuto, has maintained transparency by enabling end-to-end traceability of fresh produce exports. This has helped in exporting food by international standards, lessening food loss.

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• Another noticeable trend is Vertical farming in Asia, which has been helping farmers to utilize the farm spaces effectively, especially for small farmers. Through this farming practice, irrigation in urban spaces has also become a common practice.

This has been successfully practiced by Singapore’s Sustenir Agriculture- smart vertical farming. Through the implementation of vertical farming and AI monitoring of the plants, high-nutrient greens were grown, with 90 percent less water than the traditional agriculture method.

Agriculture looks different today - our farmers are using GPS and you can monitor your irrigation systems over the Internet.

-Debbie Stabenow, American politician

• Smart farming in Asia involves the utilization of the latest technology, like AI, data analytics, and IoT, to promote sustainable agriculture. The implementation of AI in agriculture in Asia has helped in getting real-time updates on deficiencies, contaminating diseases, and pest infestations in the plant through the plant monitoring feature of the technology. This real-time update from this technology has reduced the application of chemical usage in farming, contributing to more sustainable irrigation. The data analytics assist the farmers in optimizing their operations by analyzing the various collected information, facilitating effective decision-making.
• Drone technology in agriculture in Asia has assisted in many operations. Drone makes crop monitoring easier and delivers real-time updates, facilitating farmers to make informed decisions. This technology can also eliminate the dependency on the technology as it helps in farming operations such as precision spraying, enabling automated seeding and precision agriculture.

The successful implementation of this innovation has been noticed in many countries. International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has been integrating drones and other technologies like IoT devices, information and communication technology advancements and artificial intelligence into the farming practices. This has been met with the success of sustainable and effective farming, especially in the Rice fields of India and the Philippines, where drone technology has been employed in farming, which has helped in creating versatility in farming.  Another example of this is Thailand's EasyRice, an AI-powered Rice Quality Inspection. This AI predicts the impurities and defects with 95 percent accuracy, supporting more than 20,000 farmers and rice processors to achieve efficient export quality.

India's lifeline is the farmers and its agriculture system, and destroying them would mean an end for the country's food security and self-sufficiency.

-Amarinder Singh, Indian politician

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The future of agriculture is vast due to the integration of digital methodologies. According to one of the research studies done by Mark & Spark Solutions, AgriTech in Asia can grow up to USD 23.16 billion by 2030, with a CAGR rate of 19 percent. In the future, this innovation can also involve robotics, cloud technology and other technological advancements. This combination of technology and man-power can be effective in achieving a sustainable food supply chain.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How is AgriTech transforming traditional agriculture in Asia? AgriTech brings advanced tools like AI, drones, IoT, and blockchain into the hands of farmers, enabling data-driven decisions, efficient resource use, and higher productivity. This shift from manual, time-intensive methods to smart farming ensures sustainability, resilience, and increased food production.

2. Can AgriTech help address environmental concerns in farming? Yes. AgriTech reduces chemical use, promotes water-efficient practices, and cuts food waste through better monitoring and forecasting. This shift helps build a more environmentally responsible farming ecosystem.

3. What are the top AgriTech trends driving innovation in Asia in 2025? Key trends include farm automation, blockchain in supply chains, vertical farming, smart farming using AI and IoT, and drone-based crop monitoring. These innovations are enhancing productivity, transparency, and sustainability in agriculture.