Syngenta launches drone learning centre to drive modern, sustainable rice farming

In a move to modernise rice cultivation and promote sustainable practices, Syngenta Indonesia has unveiled its drone learning centre, providing farmers, academics, and digital farming communities with hands-on training in precision agriculture.

This is part of Syngenta Indonesia's three new innovations aimed at enhancing rice productivity while promoting sustainable farming and strengthening national food security. The other two other initiatives are the rice cultivation guidebook and ningrat rice seeds.

“These three initiatives are a tangible expression of the Petani Maju vision, showing how farmers can become more productive, competitive, and able to improve their welfare with the support of technology and scientific knowledge,” said president director of Syngenta Indonesia, Eryanto, at the inauguration of the drone learning centre in Karawang, as quoted by Kontan.

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The centre serves as a training hub to optimise the use of drones in precision agriculture. Syngenta has made 15 drones available for educational purposes, targeting farmers, academics, and digital farming communities. The technology is expected to increase efficiency in fertilisation and spraying, with potential productivity gains of 5%-10%.

“This new technology is also expected to attract young farmers to return to the agricultural sector,” Eryanto explained.

Meanwhile, the rice cultivation guidebook was developed in collaboration with academics, agricultural extension officers, and 1,000 farmers, providing a practical format for field application. It is being distributed free of charge, both in print and digital versions.

The third innovation, ningrat rice seeds, is a hybrid rice seed variety with significantly higher yields. Trials have shown harvests reaching 12 tonnes per hectare, compared with the national average of 5-6 tonnes per hectare.

“With ningrat seeds, we hope farmers can achieve more optimal and consistent harvests,” Eryanto added. “We are committed to supporting the transformation of Indonesian agriculture towards a more modern, competitive, and environmentally friendly era.”

Beyond these three initiatives, Syngenta is also developing biological technologies and biostimulants to help crops adapt to climate change.

Syngenta is a leading global agribusiness based in Basel, Switzerland, employing 30,000 people across more than 90 countries. With over 10,000 patents covering seed varieties, crop protection, and agricultural solutions, the company has long been at the forefront of innovation in farming.

In Indonesia, Syngenta has had a presence since the 1960s through its legacy companies, well before the current Syngenta entity was established. Syngenta Indonesia, headquartered in Jakarta, now operates four major facilities supporting research, seed development, and crop protection across the country.

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