KUCHING, Oct 6 2026: The Sarawak government has asked Centre of Excellence for Technology Sarawak (CENTEXS) and Department of Agriculture to collaborate with global technology conglomerate Huawei of China to explore the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and high-resolution monitoring systems to modernize farm management and enhance rice production efficiency.
"When your farm is designed with a specific structure, you can manage the farm while simultaneously managing the seeds used for rice production," he said at the opening of the 'Sarawak Rice Convention (SARICON) II' today, adding that the technology enables continuous monitoring of farm conditions, including crop growth, and the detection of issues such as pest infestations.
He said the use of technology with high-resolution imaging capabilities also allows for more detailed information regarding crop conditions to be obtained.
He added that management becomes easier even when one is not physically at the farm, as farmers can stay informed about the situation thanks to the high-pixel imaging capabilities.
"Naturally, we can turn to AI for assistance, and the technology is also integrated with AI capabilities.
"To me, now that these technologies are available, the question is how we apply them, particularly in our rice production," he remarked.
The premier also said Sarawak aims to increase rice yields to between eight and 12 metric tonnes per hectare per season through improvements in production policies focusing on infrastructure, seeds, technology, and human resources.
He said the target represents a significant leap from the current average yield of approximately 1.2 metric tonnes per hectare per season.
He noted land availability is also being prioritised, with 14,000 hectares identified for rice production, comprising both the state land and smallholder land.
“The majority, 7,000 hectares or 50 percent, is the state land that has been gazetted for rice production.
“This is because we do not want people planting other crops; we need to gazette the land. They might otherwise opt for small-scale oil palm cultivation, as it offers higher returns compared to rice.
“Therefore, to prevent this and to control land use, we have gazetted these areas specifically for rice production. They cannot plant other crops,” he stressed.
He added that this measure guarantees land availability and ensures that the identified areas remain dedicated to rice cultivation.
Meanwhile, Datuk Patinggi Abang Zohari stated that research into new seed varieties and hybrid seeds must be intensified to achieve higher rice yields.
He explained that meeting this target is a challenging task requiring the involvement of scientists and researchers to explore new varieties, hybrid seeds, and suitable crop management methods. “The Sarawak government is collaborating with UPM Bintulu to identify suitable areas and secure key, strategic components capable of delivering higher yields while simultaneously boosting production.
“In this regard, we can also collaborate with other researchers to obtain accurate input and achieve the targets we have set,” he explained.
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