@ AGROBiz | March-April. 2026

Developed under the National AI Office( NAIO) Lab, the platform is part of a broader effort aligned with the AI Nation 2030 agenda. The initiative brings together the Ministry of Digital, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security( MAFS), Padiberas Nasional Berhad( BERNAS) and Global AI Village( GAIV), reflecting a coordinated push to integrate digital solutions into agriculture.

Rakan Tani provides customised recommendations by analysing weather trends, pest threats and fieldspecific data. It enables farmers to make more precise decisions on fertiliser use, irrigation schedules and crop management practices, addressing long-standing gaps between knowledge and on-ground implementation.

" Malaysia ' s rice self-sufficiency stands at just over 50 per cent today, against a national target of 80 per cent by 2030. The gap is not a lack of knowledge, but the challenge of turning it into consistent action on the ground.

" While Malaysia has strong agronomic expertise, scaling personalised, day-to-day guidance for every farmer has remained a challenge," the statement read.

DIGITAL TOOLS ON GROUND

The system continuously refines its advice based on changing field conditions, allowing for timely interventions. Its rollout follows a 10-week pilot in Sungai Manik, Perak, involving 42 participants under BERNAS ' Large-Scale Padi Field Programme( Smart SBB). Early adoption is expected to reach about 200 farmers by the end of March, with plans to expand to roughly 110,000 registered padi farmers nationwide.

Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said the initiative reflects the government ' s commitment to ensuring AI delivers tangible benefits to the people.

He said: " AI must deliver real value to the rakyat. Through Rakan Tani, we are placing practical AI tools directly in farmers ' hands, helping them make better decisions, improve productivity, and strengthen Malaysia ' s food security.

" Our goal is to ensure no Malaysian is left behind in the digital age. To build an AI Nation, we must show the rakyat how innovation solves everyday problems. By democratising access to high-level expertise, we are ensuring that the benefits of digital transformation are felt as much by the rural padi farmer as they are by the urban tech

DIGITAL FIELDS: A nationwide rollout aims to equip up to 110,000 padi farmers with AI-driven insights for better decision-making.

developer, to uplift the lives and livelihoods of all Malaysians."

On the ground, farmers have already reported improvements. Sungai Manik grower Mohamad Fazeli Abdullah saw his yield increase significantly after adopting the system.

" Rakan Tani has become an essential tool in my daily farming. It gives clear guidance on fertilisation, pest control, and water management. With accurate weather insights and timely alerts, I no longer rely on guesswork, and my harvest has improved beyond what I thought possible," he said.

Beyond productivity gains, the initiative is also seen as a step towards attracting younger participation in agriculture while supporting the sector ' s long-term sustainability.

A newly completed pump house in Kampung Pinang, Batang Tiga, is expected to improve irrigation for padi cultivation in Melaka, benefiting about 35 farmers across 80.9 hectares.

The RM2.3 million project, implemented under a food security initiative, was a collaboration between the Melaka government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security( KPKM). It was developed to address long-standing water supply issues that have affected productivity in the area.

State Rural Development, Agriculture and Food Security Exco Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh said the facility would provide a more reliable water source for farmers who have faced persistent shortages over the years.

" The issue of water shortage faced by rice farmers here has been ongoing for many years and has often been raised by the area ' s elected representatives. With the completion of this pump house, it can help channel a more stable water supply to the rice fields here.

" This pump house facility was also completed earlier and can be used to supply sufficient water to the rice farmers in the affected areas, thus solving the problems they have been facing for so long," he said.

He said this after visiting the site with Klebang assemblyman Datuk Lim Ban Hong.

IMPROVING FIELD IRRIGATION

Dr Muhamad Akmal added that the project marks the first phase of a broader plan to upgrade irrigation infrastructure.

" For the next phase, a larger irrigation project will be implemented, which will take water from Bukit Rambai with an estimated cost of RM43 million and is expected to be completed within three to four years.

TOWARDS MODERN FARMING: Better irrigation infrastructure is expected to support productivity gains and encourage adoption of modern farming methods.

" This small-scale project is being implemented as an initial step to help rice farmers in Kampung Pinang while waiting for the larger irrigation project to be completed," he said.

Lim said the project was completed ahead of its original June timeline, having finished in March.

" With the completion of this irrigation support infrastructure, rice farmers ' yields are expected to increase.

Previously, 0.4 hectares of rice fields produced about 1.5 to two tonnes of rice, but with a better irrigation system, we hope the harvest can increase to about 2.5 tonnes or more.

" This will not only increase the supply of rice in Melaka, but will also help increase the income of rice farmers, thus giving them the opportunity to switch to more modern farming methods," he said.- @ AGROBiz