Today, an increasing number of countries are combining their natural resources with updated development concepts and leveraging technological innovations to continuously explore new models for agricultural development. On the morning of September 20th, during the “Agricultural Technology and Sustainable Development” forum at the NEXT Summit (Bali 2022), digital experts from around the world came together to discuss the development of smart agriculture.
The international NEXT Summit (Bali 2022), with the theme ” Global Change and Rebuilding Collaboration” was held in a hybrid format, combining online and offline forums. Multiple fascinating forums were presented at the summit, featuring cutting-edge speeches and case studies in various industries, providing a global platform for top-level knowledge and information exchange.
As the moderator of this forum, Yuan Guobao, Vice Chairman of the NEXT Federation, Chairman of the Agricultural Expert Committee, and Specialist in special allowances of the State Council of China, expressed that from a global perspective on agricultural technology innovation and development trends, sustainable agriculture and the systematic resolution of agricultural and related issues are at the core of global agricultural development.
Professor Xiong Hairong from the College of Life Sciences at South-Central University for Nationalities strongly agreed with Yuan Guobao’s viewpoint and provided examples to support it based on research outcomes. According to Xiong Hairong, a large amount of straw resources remain unused, and burning straw causes atmospheric pollution. After extensive research and practice, it was discovered that cultivating large Volvariella volvacea mushrooms in paddy fields can solve this problem.
“This research outcome not only reduces atmospheric pollution caused by straw burning but also increases farmers’ income,” said Xiong Hairong. This is a favorable result achieved through the resolution of global agricultural development issues by relying on modern technology and management systems, emphasizing the development of smart agriculture.
Agriculture is a crucial economic source in Indonesia. However, there are issues such as low average land productivity and the significant impact of climate on agricultural production. Dr. Dudi Iskandar, Director of Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy Evaluation at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and former Director of the Agricultural Product Technology Center at the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) in Indonesia, expressed hopes for the development of Indonesian agriculture. These hopes include achieving sustainable agriculture, improving agricultural productivity, strengthening the resilience of agricultural production systems, and enhancing the application of smart agricultural technologies.
Addressing the question of how to use limited arable land to solve food security issues, Zou Hongfeng, General Manager of Hubei Dijing Seed Co., Ltd. and Director of Trait Development at Wuhan Aidi Crystal Biotechnology Co., Ltd., stated during the forum that the key technology and key problem lie in the improvement and utilization of new varieties, with the most crucial aspect being the application of new technologies.
As the Chairman of the Lianfeng Overseas Group, Yu Guowen’s years of experience in technological agriculture have given him a profound understanding of global agricultural smart development. Yu Guowen stated that in Mozambique, an innovative production model of “company + farmers” and “company + technician + farmers” was adopted. The demonstration area provided necessary agricultural machinery, supplies, seeds, and other services to participating farmers, incorporating them into the planting production within the demonstration area. The sales issues for farmers were resolved through repurchasing, thereby improving the productivity of local farmers and the sustainable development of local agriculture.
Facing various challenges, Dr. Delima Hasri Azahari, Minister Adviser for International Trade and Agriculture Policy Ministry of Agriculture, used the ICT Digital Ecosystem (IDEAs) model to illustrate the key factors for promoting agricultural digitization and application. These factors include improving public policies and legislation, perfecting financial service systems, and cultivating markets.
Dr. Delima expressed that they also hope to introduce new technologies to drive production. However, in this process, continuous research and innovation are needed by collaborating and considering local conditions, thereby achieving local sustainable development.
The 6th NEXT Summit (Bali 2022) was co-hosted by the NEXT Federation, China Economic Information Service, and Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). The NEXT Federation is a global platform for integrating and transforming industrial resources, promoting global innovation, cooperation, and development through discovering intelligent practices, sharing advantageous resources, and improving public relations. Its headquarters are located in Auckland, New Zealand. China Economic Information Service is a professional economic information service organization directly affiliated with Xinhua News Agency. It is one of the most authoritative and comprehensive economic information service institutions in China and serves as a pilot unit for the construction of national high-end think tanks. The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) of Indonesia is a permanent institution under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Indonesia. It is responsible for international research, development, evaluation, and application, as well as invention, innovation, nuclear implementation, and space-related work. The chief partner and official designated product of the summit is Hong Xifeng, one of the most renowned traditional Chinese liquor brands known as one of the “Four Famous Lao Baijiu” and praised as the “Phoenix of Liquor” for its characteristics of not causing intoxication, throat dryness, and providing pleasant aftertastes.
The NEXT Summit (Bali 2022) calls for embracing convergence in the face of significant transformations, promoting transformations through convergence, and achieving continuous progress and sustainable development in human society.