BEIJING, June 30 (Xinhua) -- In early summer, a flurry of groundbreaking technologies made their mark on the agricultural front of Pakistan. How are tech-savvy farmers in Pakistan wielding such innovations in their fields?
Across the wheat fields of Punjab province, drones are patrolling the skies, an intelligent control system is replacing manual labor to tend the crops, and farmers are using their smartphones to precisely apply fertilizers, irrigation and other operations with just a few taps. In this summer harvest season, the wheat fields of Punjab province are brimming with technological advancements, thanks to the pilot application of the China-Pakistan cooperation project "Using Computer Vision to Achieve Climate-Smart Agriculture and High-Throughput Crop Monitoring" (referred to as the "High-Throughput Crop Monitoring Project").
On May 25, 2024, a local farmer checked wheat production data on a smart terminal application. (Provided by the China-Pakistan Joint Lab for AI and Smart Agriculture)
"Eyes in the Sky" Monitoring Crops, Powering Smart Agriculture
Punjab province is Pakistan's main agricultural producer, accounting for about 76% of the country's total annual grain production. The pilot application of the High-Throughput Crop Monitoring Project here holds a unique advantage.
In Punjab province, 600 farmers have already joined the pilot project. Muhammad Malik, a local farmer who has been growing wheat and sugarcane for over 30 years, is one of them. A few years ago, his son joined his father's agricultural endeavors after graduating from college. However, the biggest challenge facing traditional farming is the unpredictable impacts of climate, pests and diseases, which lead to instability in both grain yields and income.
"We use drones equipped with visual recognition devices to achieve intelligent monitoring of crop growth, cultivation management, pest and disease analysis, and agricultural production. The functions include assessing crop growth, monitoring crop health, analyzing water needs, and managing fertilization and pesticide application," explained Dr. Wu Jun, the Chinese head of the China-Pakistan Joint Lab for AI and Smart Agriculture.
Malik expressed his doubts: "This technology seems too complex for farmers. I also question its effectiveness and practicality." The project team promptly addressed his concerns: "We can create vegetation health map guides, written in the local dialect, as well as audiovisual materials and send them to your son's smartphone app."
"The state of crops and their precise needs for water and fertilizer are quantified more accurately. This avoids the past issues of over-watering or under-watering and helps us with precise irrigation and fertilization, reducing input costs," Malik said after learning to use the technology. "Now, my whole family looks forward to this innovative technology bringing more predictability and stability to agriculture, helping to increase crop yields."
The photo taken on May 9, 2024 shows a wheat seed accelerated breeding research facility. (Provided by the China-Pakistan Joint Lab for AI and Smart Agriculture)
When AI Technology Meets Agriculture in Pakistan
What kind of opportunity led to the convergence of Chinese AI expertise and Pakistani agricultural needs? What unexpected synergies might arise from this interaction?
Pakistan is one of the top ten producers of wheat and rice globally, with agriculture accounting for about 18.9% of its GDP and engaging 44.2% of the workforce. Despite having a strong agricultural foundation, Pakistan is one of the countries most negatively impacted by climate change and ranks among the top ten countries in terms of population facing severe sudden hunger.
On May 11, 2024, the China-Pakistan Joint Lab for AI and Smart Agriculture holds an agricultural forum. (Provided by the China-Pakistan Joint Lab for AI and Smart Agriculture)
As early as 2022, the National University of Sciences and Technology of Pakistan and the Guangzhou Institute of Software jointly established the China-Pakistan Joint Lab for AI and Smart Agriculture. "During the fourth China-South Asia Cooperation Forum held in Kunming in 2023, the head of the department of agriculture from University of Agriculture, Faisalabad approached me, seeking to collaborate and use China's advanced AI technology to help develop local agriculture," Dr. Wu Jun recalled.
Pakistan has agricultural resources and needs, while China has AI technology and application expertise, leading to a perfect match. By the end of 2023, the High-Throughput Crop Monitoring Project was jointly launched by University of Agriculture, Faisalabad; the Guangzhou Institute of Software; and Guangzhou CAS Cogniser. The China-Pakistan Joint Lab for AI and Smart Agriculture, established based on this project, was inaugurated on May 11, 2024.
On February 1, 2024, project team members explain the project's technologies to the farmers. (Provided by the China-Pakistan Joint Lab for AI and Smart Agriculture)
"Teaching How to Fish" to Ensure Agricultural Development
Today, the China-Pakistan Joint Lab for AI and Smart Agriculture has nine doctorate holders and several masters and engineers engaging in the development of the High-Throughput Crop Monitoring Project. Pakistan has also sent several postdoctoral researchers to Guangzhou to learn AI technology.
"I come from a farming family and am very aware of the problems Pakistani farmers face today. Severe heat waves and water shortages are our main challenges. I joined this team to provide farmers with real-time data, helping them optimize planting decisions and ensure community food security," said Sachib Ali, a Pakistani researcher at the China-Pakistan joint lab.
On May 8, 2024, local farmers and members of the China-Pakistan joint lab for AI and Smart Agriculture pose for a group photo. (Provided by the China-Pakistan Joint Lab for AI and Smart Agriculture)
"Pakistan urgently needs to adopt advanced technology-driven agricultural practices.This project represents a promising opportunity for Pakistan,offering scientifical sound and practical solutions that resonate with farmers and have the potential to transform local agriculture," said Dr.Sultan Habibullah Khan,director of the Agricultural and FoodSecurity Research Center at the University of Agriculture,Faisalabad.
"Bringing AI technology to Pakistan and applying it to agriculture to genuinely help local farmers solve hunger issues is the most important goal we want to achieve," said Wu Jun. The World Bank and the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center provide funding support for the High-Throughput Crop Monitoring Project, highlighting the importance of this innovative solution in addressing climate challenges and enhancing agricultural sustainability.
In the future, the China-Pakistan Joint Lab for AI and Smart Agriculture plans to promote this technology across Pakistan within two years, enabling farmers to hold their "rice bowls" firmly in their own hands. Subsequently, it will also be promoted to other developing countries, cultivating professionals in the application of "AI+" in agriculture, advancing smart agriculture, increasing farmers' productivity and income, and helping more countries eliminate hunger and improve people's livelihoods. (Liu Wanqiu)
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