This new partnership builds on previous efforts between the three companies to test and promote digital technologies that improve productivity.

Seibu Kaihatsu Nosan Co., Ltd., Sumitomo Corporation, and Sumitomo Corporation Tohoku Co., Ltd. have announced a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing sustainable agricultural practices and revitalising regional farming in Japan’s Tohoku region

This alliance focuses on improving food production, supporting local farmers, and promoting the use of smart farming technologies. The collaboration will focus on four key areas:

The first project aims to improve productivity and efficiency in agriculture by introducing smart farming technologies. These technologies, which include IoT-based work tracking, automated machinery, and agricultural drones, will be showcased through demonstrations to farmers across Tohoku. The goal is to help farmers achieve stable food production by adopting these innovations.

This initiative focuses on supporting farmers with consulting services and training programmes. The companies will collect and analyse data from farm machinery and smartphones to help improve operational efficiency. By leveraging their expertise in farmland management, they aim to sustain and grow regional agriculture, even in the face of a declining and ageing farming population.

The third project will work on enhancing the agricultural supply chain. By linking producer data with food processing and distribution companies, the alliance will help farmers better manage market fluctuations and improve product quality. The project also includes support for post-harvest activities such as sorting and drying, which will benefit producers and the entire distribution network in the region.

The fourth area of focus involves the adoption of environmentally sustainable farming practices. The partners will demonstrate and promote the use of eco-friendly agricultural inputs and cultivation systems, with an emphasis on reducing environmental impact. They also plan to explore the practical application of a carbon credit programme to further boost sustainability.

Japan’s agricultural industry is facing a critical challenge, with the number of farmers halving in the last 20 years. In 2023, the average age of Japanese farmers stood at 69. Additionally, nearly 10% of Japan’s farmland is abandoned, with over 420,000 hectares left unused.

Seibu Kaihatsu Nosan, one of Japan’s largest agricultural corporations, manages about 1,000 hectares of farmland and has already been leveraging smart technologies for more efficient farming. By offering services such as spraying, harvesting, and drying on behalf of neighbouring farmers, the company is helping maintain the vibrancy of regional agriculture.

This new partnership builds on previous efforts between the three companies to test and promote digital technologies that improve productivity. Their expanded collaboration aims to address the pressing issues facing agriculture in Tohoku, driving both technological innovation and regional revitalisation.

The campaign’s goals are to reaffirm European dairy’s reputation for high-quality products.

In 2024, Irish dairy exports to Asia surpassed €440 million, highlighting Ireland's growing role as a key supplier of high-quality dairy products

To build on this success, the European Union and Ireland have launched a €3.2 million campaign, titled “European Dairy – Ireland, Where Nature Meets Science”. The campaign, co-funded by the EU, is designed to strengthen partnerships in Asia and ensure sustainable, traceable dairy ingredients for the region's growing nutrition market. Running until 2028, it will focus on building supply resilience and fostering long-term trade relationships in Singapore, China, and Vietnam.

Singapore was chosen as the regional hub for the campaign due to its central role in Asia’s food innovation ecosystem. The country’s world-class food safety standards and research infrastructure make it an ideal location to connect Europe’s dairy industry with Asia’s demand for sustainable ingredients. This collaboration also allows Europe to meet the evolving needs of Asia’s volatile global food market.

Sarah McGrath, Ambassador of Ireland to Singapore, said, “This campaign is a symbol of Ireland’s commitment to strengthening the bridges between Europe and Asia. By launching in Singapore, we are reinforcing not only a vital trade relationship but also our shared pursuit of innovation, research, and sustainable development in food. Ireland’s expertise in science-driven agriculture, combined with Asia’s leadership in food innovation, creates an opportunity to deepen trust and collaboration across sectors. This initiative reflects the spirit of partnership that will define the future of our cultural and economic ties.”

Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, is spearheading the campaign, aiming to connect Irish producers with partners in key global markets. With offices in locations such as Singapore, Shanghai, and Tokyo, Bord Bia facilitates trade links and drives long-term collaborations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and beyond.

Lisa Phelan, Director for Southeast Asia and Australia at Bord Bia, said, “Ireland’s grass-fed, sustainably produced dairy, supported by Origin Green, our pioneering national food and drink sustainability programme, brings provenance, quality, and science-driven innovation—but we cannot achieve impact alone. By collaborating with Singapore, which combines technological expertise, research capabilities, and regional market knowledge, we can secure Asia’s nutrition future with dairy that is trusted, traceable, and future-ready. This campaign exemplifies how Europe’s strengths and Asia’s innovation ecosystem can come together to drive sustainable, long-term food solutions."

Ireland leads Europe in sustainable dairy production, with 90% of its herds grass-fed, a unique distinction globally. Additionally, 95% of Irish processors are enrolled in Origin Green, the independently verified sustainability programme, highlighting Ireland’s commitment to quality and traceability. The country is ranked second globally in the Food Security Index, further reinforcing its role as a reliable supplier.

The campaign’s goals are to reaffirm European dairy’s reputation for high-quality products, provide traceable ingredients, and strengthen connections between Singaporean firms and European innovation pipelines.

The company's innovative technology focuses on preserving pollen for future use.

PowerPollen, an agtech company based in Iowa, has unveiled its latest technological advancement: autonomous pollination robots designed to address pollination challenges in crops like corn, wheat, and rice

The company's innovative technology focuses on preserving pollen for future use, which helps growers adapt to environmental challenges such as extreme weather and droughts, factors that can disrupt seed production.

Founded in 2015 by Jason Cope and Todd Krone, PowerPollen uses a patented method to store pollen, ensuring its viability for extended periods—a crucial advantage given that pollen can survive in the natural environment for only a short window, from five minutes to an hour. This preserved pollen can then be applied to crops when needed, improving the chances of successful pollination.

The company's autonomous robots, introduced during a field demonstration, are battery-powered and equipped with a precision sprayer, GPS for tracking, and machine vision to help navigate farm rows. These robots can operate in fleets and are adaptable to both large fields and smaller farms (down to five acres). This development opens up possibilities for future functionalities, as the robots can collect valuable data during pollination, further improving efficiency and accuracy.

As extreme weather events such as droughts or heavy rains impact pollination, PowerPollen’s robots allow farmers to apply preserved pollen during the key reproductive phase. This precision helps counter disruptions, ensuring that crops are properly fertilized despite adverse conditions.

PowerPollen’s expansion goes beyond corn; the company is actively working on wheat and rice hybrid seed production, aiming to make these crops more cost-effective and profitable for farmers. Despite a downturn in venture capital investments in agtech, the company continues to drive innovation, with €22.5 million in recent funding to support its future growth.

Jason Cope emphasised, "Venture capital money is a little allergic, if you will, right now to agtech, but agtech is a foundational aspect of how we feed the world."

China produces close to 350 mn tonnes of fruit every year—around a third of the global output.

China produces close to 350 mn tonnes of fruit every year—around a third of the global output

With domestic demand on the rise, especially from the expanding middle and lower-middle classes, improving fruit production through technology has become a national priority.

The government’s “2024–28 Four-Year Smart Agriculture Plan” encourages the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence, big data, satellite navigation (Beidou), and national agricultural data systems to boost food security. Farms are now using a combination of precision agriculture, automation, and sensor technologies linked to IoT networks for real-time monitoring and control.

In Guangdong and Maoming, 5G-enabled sensors monitor key variables like soil moisture, pH levels, temperature, and pest presence. This data is used to automatically manage irrigation and fertilisation. Companies like Nongbo Innovation and Haisheng Group have introduced IoT systems that assign QR codes to individual trees, improving traceability from farm to consumer.

China also makes use of more than 200 agricultural drones for surveying and spraying. Firms such as XAG, FJ Dynamics, and EAVision are developing smart robots capable of autonomous driving, spraying, and harvesting. Trials are underway on robotic pruning platforms that use machine learning and computer vision to work on apple trees, grapevines, and cherry orchards. With LiDAR-camera fusion, these systems can identify fruit with millimetre accuracy, enabling precise automated harvesting. At China Agricultural University, researchers have created AI-powered smart glasses with augmented reality to help identify diseases, guide pruning, and reduce human error.

Blueberry farming has seen major growth, increasing more than tenfold in the past decade. By 2024, China had over 80 hectares in cultivation, producing over 500 tonnes, making it Asia’s largest blueberry producer and one of the biggest globally. Shandong has bred eight new varieties that ripen earlier, resist disease better, and yield 10% more. AI and big data are being used to speed up breeding through high-throughput phenotyping.

In Huaining, Anhui, smart greenhouses use IoT systems to automate climate and soil conditions. Just one operator can manage tens of thousands of plants using mobile monitoring, bringing harvests forward by two months and doubling yield compared to open fields. In Qidong, Jiangsu, a 21.3-hectare high-tech farm with controlled CO₂ levels and IoT sensors brings in around 200 mn yuan (US$28 mn) annually with only three workers. Langxi, also in Anhui, has 3.3 hectares of greenhouse blueberries with full 5G control for irrigation and nutrition via mobile devices.

Research is ongoing into drones that use the YOLO computer vision model to detect fruit and bushes, improving yield forecasts, sampling, and logistics.

By 2030, China’s blueberry acreage is expected to reach 120 hectares with production surpassing 900 tonnes. The country is also eyeing expansion into value-added products like juice, powder, and cosmetics, as well as increased exports to Europe and the Middle East.