Emerging smart-farming technologies that promise to boost rice productivity and strengthen provincial food security were showcased during a joint demonstration by three government agencies at Barangay Bagumbayan, Santa Cruz town on Wednesday.

The smart technology presenters included the Field Agricultural Extension Services-Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (FAES-OPAG), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), and the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).

Provincial information officer Danilo Lucas disclosed in a report that IRRI presented Drone4Rice, which uses XAG agricultural drones for direct seeding, targeted fertilizer application, and pesticide spraying.

Lucas said that the drones improve precision, reduce labor needs, and speed operations, enabling timely field interventions that reduce crop losses and increase yield potential, as explained by Arnel Rala, IRRI senior associate scientist.

PhilRice presented its Craft Diversification initiative, emphasizing mechanized rice transplanters that achieve more uniform and faster seedling establishment compared to manual transplanting.

FAES-OPAG officials said the twin technologies can help farmers adapt to labor shortages, climate variability, and rising input costs-key threats to the local rice supply.

By improving planting efficiency and ensuring more consistent crop stands, the technologies aim to stabilize yields across growing seasons and support Laguna’s food security objectives.

IRRI and PhilRice both emphasized capacity building alongside equipment trials, planning farmer training sessions and on-site technical support to ensure that technologies are accessible, cost-effective and environmentally sound.

The provincial agriculture office plans to scale demonstrations to additional barangays and partner with local farmer cooperatives for wider adoption.

“Laguna was chosen as an implementation site because of the provincial government’s active coordination and commitment to modernizing agriculture,” Lucas said. (PNA)