Climate change, shrinking labor forces, and rising costs are challenges shared by many countries across the region. During a visit to XAG's SuperX Farm in Guangzhou on November 30, journalists from Fiji, Malaysia, Indonesia, and other Asia-Pacific nations explored how China's smart agriculture technologies may help address these urgent concerns.
The visit was part of the Maritime Silk Road Joint Media Tour organized by South in Guangdong, where foreign reporters witnessed how drones, robots, and AI are being integrated into large-scale, highly precise farming operations. At SuperX Farm, human labor is minimal—machines monitor crop growth, apply fertilizers, and manage fields with centimeter-level accuracy.
For many visiting journalists, the technologies offered not just inspiration but potential solutions.
Ritika Devi from the Fijian Broadcasting Corporation shared that her country faces severe climate-related disruptions—cyclones, prolonged rainfall, and crop damage—leading to high food prices. She believes smart agriculture could help Fiji become more self-sufficient, especially as young people lose interest in farming. "With drone technology that reduces labor, we can overcome these challenges," she said.
From Malaysia, Himanshu Bhatt, Editor of The Sun, reflected on declining agricultural labor as youth increasingly move toward high-tech and urban careers. He described what he saw as "a good marriage between technology and a necessary mission—meeting basic food needs for a growing population." He noted that precision agriculture could help Malaysia meet long-term food challenges sustainably.
Meanwhile, Hanni Sofia from Indonesia's Antara News Agency emphasized the need for technological adoption back home. "We need all these technologies in Indonesia," she said, calling on Chinese investors to explore opportunities in her country.
Across all interviews, one message was clear: the Asia-Pacific region is actively searching for practical, scalable, and climate-resilient solutions for agriculture—and places like XAG's SuperX Farm in Guangdong showcase what the future could look like.
Reporter: Li Fangwang
Cameraman: Li Fangwang
Editor: Hu Nan, Yuan Zixiang, Ou Xiaoming, James Campion, Shen He
