AI Enters the Rice Fields: The SAE AWD Rice Programme Modernises Sleman Agriculture

Indonesia’s agricultural sector is entering a new chapter with the integration of cutting-edge technology. Artificial intelligence (AI) is now beginning to reach the rice fields through a trial of the Sustainable Agriculture Ecosystem – Alternate Wetting and Drying (SAE AWD) Rice Programme, implemented in Brebah, Jogotirto, Sleman Regency, on Monday (22/6). This innovative programme is the result of a strategic collaboration between agricultural innovators IndraAgri and BIOPS. The initiative also receives full support from various international and national institutions, including the Rabu Biru Foundation, GIZ German Cooperation, Hi Incubator, and the CAST Foundation. The SAE AWD Rice Programme integrates the alternate wetting and drying irrigation method with a digital ecosystem based on the Internet of Things (IoT) and AI. This technology is designed to assist farmers in making more precise decisions regarding irrigation, fertilisation, and real-time monitoring of field conditions. Data collected by various sensors in the field is processed by AI algorithms to provide accurate recommendations to farmers. Bagoes, an innovator from IndraAgri, emphasised that the presence of AI is not intended to displace the human role in the rice fields. Instead, AI is positioned as an intelligent partner for farmers facing the increasingly unpredictable challenges of climate change. “AI becomes a partner in making data-based decisions. With the support of sensors and precise analysis, farmers can manage their land more efficiently, increase productivity, and simultaneously support low-emission agriculture,” Bagoes explained. Echoing this sentiment, Sholikin, the head of the Sedyo Makmur II Farmers’ Group, welcomed this digital transformation with optimism. He hopes this technology can reduce production costs, which have long been a burden for farmers. “We hope this technology truly provides benefits, from saving water to increasing harvest yields and farmers’ welfare,” Sholikin stated. Fitri, a Field Agricultural Extension Officer from the Sleman Regency Agriculture Office, views this collaboration as an ideal prototype for modern agriculture in Indonesia. The government hopes this SAE AWD model will not stop in Sleman but can be replicated in various other regions. Through the SAE AWD Rice Programme, the partners are committed to proving that digital transformation is the key to creating an agricultural system that is intelligent, climate-adaptive, and capable of strengthening national food security in the future.