AA Gede Agung Wedhatama, founder of the Bali-based Cool Young Farmers (PMK) community said that the widely adopted conventional agricultural system in Indonesia only enables a hectare of land to produce 5 tonnes of rice, while countries with more advanced technology can produce up to 15 tonnes with the same amount of land.

PMK began in 2019 in hopes of encouraging young people to get involved in technology-based organic horticulture. 

“If we compare ourselves with other countries like Japan, the Netherlands and Australia, our agriculture technology development is around 20 years behind them, and we must catch up,” he told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Read also: Lack of young farmers jeopardizes food security, say experts

He went on to say that smart farming, smart irrigation systems, precision farming and artificial intelligence (AI) had effectively reduced the production costs in those countries, which could help improve profits and therefore the welfare of smallholders.

Every Monday

With exclusive interviews and in-depth coverage of the region’s most pressing business issues, “Prospects” is the go-to source for staying ahead of the curve in Indonesia’s rapidly evolving business landscape.

for signing up our newsletter!

Please check your email for your newsletter subscription.

View More Newsletter

In Indonesia, however, farmers face steep production costs and low profitability.