Smart farming drives modern agriculture in China

A T100 agricultural drone of Chinese drone maker DJI transports oranges in Zigui county, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 11, 2024. (Photo/Liu Xiaozhong)

The integration of agricultural machinery and technologies has brought tangible benefits to Chinese farmers and advanced China's modern agricultural development.

China has continuously ramped up efforts on technological innovation in agricultural machinery and the application of innovation outcomes in recent years, achieving leapfrog development in agricultural equipment and mechanization. So far, the rate of mechanization in crop plowing, planting and harvesting in the country has reached 74.3 percent.

A smart farm in Liucheng township, Dongyuan county, Heyuan city, south China's Guangdong Province exemplifies this technological leap.

The farm has 5,200 mu (about 346.67 hectares) of rice fields. Unmanned equipment is employed in the entire rice production cycle on 1,500 mu of the rice fields, including plowing, sowing, managing, and harvesting, according to Wang Jiankuan, head of the farm.

Wang explained the magic behind the operation of unmanned equipment: a smartphone-sized terminal equipped with China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) that transforms agricultural machinery into intelligent, self-navigating tools.

Photo shows the first pure electric driverless tractor displayed by the national agricultural machinery and equipment innovation center. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

"These machines now have 'eyes.' They can turn automatically, stop in case of anomalies, and operate according to preset routes thanks to the BDS," Wang said.

According to Wang, every farming process is backed by intelligent technologies. Rotary tillers equipped with the BDS ensure plowing along designed routes, while rice transplanters and drones guarantee precise planting. When it comes to crop management, a system realizes real-time monitoring of crop, pest and soil conditions, and drones are used for fertilization and pest control. Harvesting is equally sophisticated, with unmanned combine harvesters working in concert with self-driving grain transport vehicles.

In Zhanhua district, Binzhou city, east China's Shandong Province, Ding Taiping, head of a family farm, has witnessed a transformation in winter jujube farming, relying on digital data rather than individual experience.

Ding's winter jujube garden is installed with devices for the monitoring of weather, pests, soil, water-fertilizer irrigation and greenhouse environment, as well as Internet-of-Things devices.

Through a mobile app, Ding can instantly access real-time data about his orchard, including soil temperature, moisture levels, and pest species. The app provides instant alerts in the event of water and fertilizer shortages.

Technology has boosted the efficiency of winter jujube cultivation while reducing costs and waste. Last year, the per-mu yield of Ding's 25 mu winter jujubes reached 1,000 kilograms, generating over 800,000 yuan (about $109,814.72) in revenue, representing an increase of 100,000 yuan compared to that before the installation of relevant equipment.

On Dec. 11, Chinese drone maker DJI showcased its T100 agricultural drone in Zigui county, central China's Hubei Province, which helped transport oranges out of the mountains, improving the efficiency of transportation and operational safety.

Since 2012, DJI has expanded drone applications from basic plant protection to comprehensive agricultural operations, including seeding, transportation, and fruit tree management.

Major agricultural machinery manufacturers in China have intensified efforts to boost research and development and innovation. For instance, YTO Group Corporation, a Chinese agricultural machinery and construction machinery manufacturer, has integrated over 10 core intelligent manufacturing and industrial internet technologies to build a large-scale intelligent manufacturing plant for agricultural machinery.

In 2023, China's first Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing platform for agricultural machinery, built by the national agricultural machinery and equipment innovation center, was put into operation in Luoyang city, central China's Henan Province. This platform uses digital twin technology to simulate real-world conditions, enabling the high-precision testing of agricultural machinery's electronic control systems.

A trainee learns how to drive an agricultural machine during a training course for agricultural machine operators in Baiyi village, Wudang district, Guiyang city, southwest China's Guizhou Province in October 2024. (Photo courtesy of the bureau of agriculture and rural affairs of Wudang district)

The center has also developed a smart agricultural machinery management platform that uses cloud computing, big data analysis, and machine learning to monitor agricultural equipment. Currently, over 160,000 agricultural machines are monitored by the platform, allowing real-time tracking of their operational data.

Professional training is equally crucial in China's modern agricultural development. At the end of this October, a training course for agricultural machine operators was held in Baiyi village, Wudang district, Guiyang city, southwest China's Guizhou Province.

To promote the popularization and application of agricultural machinery, the bureau of agriculture and rural affairs of Wudang district has brought agricultural machinery training directly to the fields, inviting agricultural technical experts to conduct training sessions focusing on aspects including agricultural machinery operation, maintenance, and safe production standards.

Like Wudang district, regions across China have designed practical training programs and cultivated skilled professionals who understand both agricultural machinery and agricultural techniques, possess management capabilities, and are proficient in machine operation and maintenance, thus advancing the pace of agricultural modernization.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 27.6 percent of agricultural production in China has been informatized.