Can Agritech Turn the Tide for Farmers in Southeast Asia?

By Tech Wire Asia

Agriculture has been one of the core pillars of human existence and development over the millennia and, while it continues to serve that crucial role today, the industry faces bigger challenges by the day, writes Joe Devanesan at Tech Wire Asia.

The risks driven by climate change and, more recently, the effects of COVID-19, have contributed to declining produce outputs and farmers are struggling to make sites both sustainable and profitable. In agriculture-dependent regions like Southeast Asia, the contribution of the agriculture sector has been steadily declining from 2003 towards 2016, as shown in recently released World Bank data.

The ripple effect of this decline is wide. In South Asian countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, jobs in agriculture make up nearly half of the total employment and account for 39% total employment across Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Myanmar, among others. Farmers are looking for solutions that can drive efficiencies to save costs and increase yields, and this has led to the intersect between agriculture and next-generation technologies, otherwise known as agritech.

Alongside goals to increase productivity, agritech solutions also seek to make the industry more economically and environmentally sustainable, leveraging technologies such as data analytics, artificial intelligence, and robotics. Away from the glistening skyscrapers of its capitals, Southeast Asia – a region heavily reliant on agriculture – is proving fertile ground for innovation this exciting, emerging arena.