Dr Rundi during a visit to IAM in Saitama, Japan.
SAITAMA, Japan: Japan’s experience in modernising agriculture through data-driven innovation and automation offers valuable insights for Sarawak as it moves forward with the implementation of its Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030).
Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, said Japan’s success story serves as a model for Sarawak, especially in strengthening food security and boosting agricultural productivity through the adoption of advanced technologies.
“What we have seen in Japan demonstrates how precision, data and safety drive agricultural transformation.
“It is not merely about machinery but about building an ecosystem that unites technology, people, and sustainability,” he said during a working visit to the Institute of Agricultural Machinery (IAM) under the National Agriculture and Food Research Organisation (NARO) in Saitama last Monday.
Dr Rundi said the visit highlights the importance of knowledge, technology and discipline as the foundation for Sarawak’s agricultural transformation.
“Sarawak’s journey towards modern agriculture must be grounded in knowledge, technology and discipline. What we have learned here reinforces the importance of investing not only in machinery but also in research and human capital development,” he added.
The visit reaffirmed Sarawak’s commitment towards transforming its agricultural sector through innovation, mechanisation and modernisation, in line with the state’s goal of building a sustainable and technology-driven agricultural economy.
The IAM visit provided the delegation with a closer look at Japan’s integrated approach to agricultural automation, which combines research, engineering and international safety standards to support its transition toward sustainable and precision farming.
IAM also presented five core research divisions that underpin Japan’s advancements in agricultural machinery and safety innovation: Intelligent Agricultural Machinery, Automated Farming Systems, System Safety Engineering, Mechanisation Research Collaboration, and Safety Evaluation and Standardisation.
Among the key research areas showcased were small-scale electric farm robots, digital sensing systems for soil and crop analysis, and the application of global safety standards such as ISO 17025 and ROPS (Rollover Protective Structure).
Japan’s Society 5.0 concept, which integrates science, data and human well-being, was also highlighted during the briefing, outlining research frameworks such as Agri-Food Business, Smart Production System, Agri-Bio System, and Robust Agricultural System.
These aim to strengthen food security, enhance competitiveness, and promote environmental sustainability through artificial intelligence, biotechnology and robotics.
The delegation also toured IAM’s showroom, which showcased agricultural machinery developed through IAM research and commercialised by Japan’s private sector, and visited the IAM Museum featuring Japan’s mechanisation history since the 1950s.
Accompanying Dr Rundi during the visit were Deputy Minister Datuk Martin Ben and Department of Agriculture Sarawak’s Director, Dominic Chunggat.
