By: R. Sufyan
Indonesia’s agricultural transformation is entering a new chapter with the adoption of data-driven technologies that are reshaping the national food production paradigm. Precision farming has now become a key strategy to increase productivity, efficiency, and sustainability in the food sector, while also accelerating the achievement of the government’s food self-sufficiency goals. This approach allows farmers to manage their land with high accuracy using sensors, drones, and real-time data analysis systems that monitor the specific needs of crops—from fertilization to irrigation.
Rahmad Pribadi, President Director of PT Pupuk Indonesia (Persero), sees precision agriculture as the answer to challenges posed by climate change, land degradation, and inefficiencies in fertilizer and water use that have hindered crop yield improvements. Research conducted across 46 demonstration plots in 12 provinces, covering a total area of 8,265 hectares, shows that the system can improve fertilizer efficiency by up to 30 percent, save 37 percent of water, and increase average productivity by 13.5 percent throughout 2024. One of the most notable results was in Subang, West Java, where rice yields rose nearly 10 percent thanks to the integration of sensor technology and digital monitoring.
Pupuk Indonesia has developed two flagship initiatives to strengthen precision farming practices: the Agrosolution program and PreciX technology. Agrosolution focuses on farmer development through a comprehensive upstream-to-downstream approach, covering access to fertilizers, financing, and marketing of produce, while PreciX serves as a data-driven platform that integrates soil nutrient and moisture management. Both initiatives not only reduce input wastage but also transform the way farmers understand their land’s needs. This transformation demonstrates that modern agriculture is not merely about mechanization, but a smart, adaptive, and data-based system.
The government is also paying serious attention to strengthening innovation-based agriculture. Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman emphasizes that food independence is the foundation for Indonesia to become a global economic power. He sees the agricultural sector as having tremendous potential to support economic growth, provided the entire production chain operates efficiently and in coordination. Therefore, Amran stresses the importance of agricultural extension officers as frontline agents in ensuring policy implementation in the field, including timely and targeted distribution of fertilizers, agricultural machinery, and other production facilities.
The government’s decisive actions in eradicating fertilizer malpractice and strengthening supply chains indicate a clear direction: Indonesian agriculture must be clean, productive, and adaptive to changing times. The impact is already tangible in various regions. Subsidized fertilizer prices have dropped by up to 20 percent, while the price of unhusked rice has risen to IDR 6,500 per kilogram. This situation encourages farmers to plant more frequently and increase planting intensity to two or three cycles per year. These policies demonstrate the synergy between government regulation and corporate innovation in accelerating the achievement of food self-sufficiency.
As part of efforts to expand the innovation ecosystem, Pupuk Indonesia also launched the FertInnovation Challenge 2025 in collaboration with the Indonesia Agrichemical Research Institute (IARI). The competition provides a platform for researchers, startups, and young professionals to present new ideas in four strategic categories: Precision Agriculture & Digital Farming, Climate-Resilient & Sustainable Fertilizers, AI-Driven Agri Supply Chain, and Process & Plant Engineering. Running from October 6 to November 20, 2025, the program is not merely a competition but a national movement fostering research culture and cross-sector collaboration. The best ideas will be incubated within the Pupuk Indonesia Group until they are ready for commercialization.
Since its first edition in 2021, the FertInnovation Challenge has attracted over 1,300 innovative ideas and engaged 37 partner institutions. Through this initiative, Pupuk Indonesia demonstrates that sustainable innovation is not just a corporate responsibility but a collective movement involving all elements of the nation. Collaboration between industry, academia, and the younger generation is a vital driver in building a national agricultural system that is efficient, environmentally friendly, and resilient to climate change.
Moving forward, the integration of data, research, and public policy will be the key to achieving sovereign food security. By leveraging artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and predictive analysis of weather and soil conditions, Indonesian farmers can optimize every hectare of land for maximum yield with minimal risk. This is no longer a long-term vision but a reality being realized through concrete collaboration among the government, corporations, and farming communities.
Through the implementation of data-driven precision agriculture, Indonesia is not only moving toward food self-sufficiency but also asserting itself as an agrarian nation with technological sovereignty. In the hands of trained farmers, resilient extension officers, and supported by ongoing research and innovation, the aspiration to make Indonesia a global food barn is steadily becoming a reality.
*(The author is a National Policy and Food Security Observer)