AI transforms agriculture in S China's Guangxi, ASEAN countries

Photo shows a blueberry greenhouse in Mashan county, Nanning city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Pang Huiwen)

At the launch ceremony of the "AI for All: China-ASEAN" competition in July, Zhang Xingjie invited innovators to sow artificial intelligence across agricultural fields and share Guangxi's smart farming experience with the world.

Zhang, founder of the digital orchard initiative at JJR Science and Technology Group Co., Ltd., attended the ceremony in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. He served as an official recommender for the event's "Smart agriculture (digital countryside)" innovation competition.

The "AI for All: China-ASEAN" competition ran from July to November, with the winning concepts already bearing fruit.

Photo shows the central control room of Dongxing Mangrove Agriculture Co., Ltd. in Dongxing, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Pang Huiwen)

At the aquaculture facility of Dongxing Mangrove Agriculture Co., Ltd. in Dongxing, Guangxi, a special "AI factory manager" has begun operations. The technology has graduated from being a prize-winning concept at the competition to a practical tool, transforming intelligent shrimp farming from an idea into an everyday reality.

Inside the central control room, 12 breeding ponds are monitored across more than 20 27-inch screens. Real-time data provides a clear picture of the growth and health of every shrimp.

A year ago, Zhang Zhimin managed the breeding ponds himself. He would set out before dawn each day, moving from one pond to the next, checking water color, testing water quality and bending over each pond to observe how the shrimp were feeding.

Photo shows whiteleg shrimp in the unmanned breeding facility of Dongxing Mangrove Agriculture Co., Ltd. in Dongxing, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Pang Huiwen)

"Conventional aquaculture depends largely on experience. It carries high risks and delivers low efficiency. We asked ourselves why AI couldn't take charge of the ponds instead," said Hou Zongyuan, head of the company. Their aim was to replace knowledge passed down by word of mouth with decisions driven by data and algorithms.

That idea led a team with an average age of just 29 to spend eight months integrating high-definition underwater cameras, multi-parameter water quality sensors, intelligent feeding systems and a centralized control platform into a unified network, all connected to a self-developed digital brain.

Thanks to the AI system, a single technician can now oversee three to four ponds, while the annual output of whiteleg shrimp has risen to 400,000 kilograms.

A member of Dongxing Mangrove Agriculture Co., Ltd. presents at the "Smart agriculture (digital countryside)" innovation competition in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo courtesy of the competition organizer)

Many outstanding projects emerging from the competition are moving beyond pilot trials in Guangxi, bringing Chinese innovation to ASEAN markets.

In a palm plantation in Selangor, Malaysia, an "AI manager" is delivering a powerful technology-driven solution through the use of technologies such as satellite remote sensing, drones and Internet of Things sensors. With technical support from Runjian Corporation, a leading provider of digital and intelligent operations and maintenance services, these tools are set to fundamentally reshape harvesting practices for oil palm fruits.

"Traditional methods can misjudge up to 40 percent of cases. With AI-assisted decision-making, such losses can be drastically reduced," said Hu Yongle, president of the software business unit at Runjian Corporation.

Photo shows an AI-powered decision-making platform designed for Malaysia's oil palm industry, developed by Runjian Corporation. (Photo courtesy of Runjian Corporation)