Agritechnica Asia will feature a new international Conference on Smart Agriculture and Unmanned Agricultural Systems. The conference will take place this coming 21 May at the BITEC venue in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Smart Agriculture & Unmanned Agricultural Systems conference is organized by DLG Markets China, drawing on China’s extensive experience in smart agriculture and long-standing cooperation at ministerial, research and industry level. “China has moved from pilot projects to large-scale application of smart agriculture technologies,” says Leely Zhang, Managing Director, DLG Markets China. “The close cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, universities and industry have resulted in digital tools, drones and autonomous systems that address labor shortages, resource efficiency and food security. At Agritechnica Asia, we want to share these experiences, discuss what works in practice, and explore how they can be adapted to Southeast Asian conditions.”
Practical field applications
The conference program on 21 May will showcase concrete examples of smart farming already in practical use. These include the deployment of agricultural drones for crop protection and fertilization, AI-based farm management platforms, autonomous field machinery, and robotic systems for monitoring and precision operations. In China alone, more than 300,000 agricultural drones are currently in operation, covering hundreds of millions of hectares annually. Presentations and panel discussions will also address national policy frameworks, including China’s Smart Agriculture Action Plan (2024–2028), as well as regional cooperation initiatives such as the Lancang–Mekong Cooperation, which promotes technology transfer, joint research and knowledge sharing with Southeast Asian countries.
Targeted at universities and research institutions, agricultural technology companies, manufacturers of drones and autonomous machinery, government authorities, service providers, and farms and cooperatives, the conference is designed as a hands-on knowledge and networking platform. It aims to support informed investment decisions and foster partnerships that accelerate the adoption of scalable, climate-resilient agricultural solutions across Asia.
Technology and knowledge
The new smart agriculture conference complements the comprehensive exhibition and knowledge-transfer program of Agritechnica Asia and HortEx 2026, held under the theme “Farm. Farmer. Future.” Organized by DLG’s (German Agricultural Society) subsidiary DLG Markets Asia Pacific in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives of Thailand (MOAC), the three-day exhibition will welcome around 350 exhibitors and expects more than 18,000 professional visitors from across Asia.
With Germany as official partner country, represented by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Regional Identity (BMLEH), the exhibition will feature eight international pavilions (Austria, China, Finland, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea and Taiwan. Around 220 international speakers will contribute to the technical program, covering mechanization, digitalization, sustainable crop production, horticulture, climate-resilient systems and regional market developments.
New and enhanced formats in 2026 include the Agrifuture Zone, a dedicated Startup Day on 21 May and the Future Farmers Program. Together with the new Smart Agriculture and Unmanned Agricultural Systems Conference, these features underline Agritechnica Asia’s focus on applied innovation, capacity building and practical relevance for farmers and agribusinesses across the region.
Agritechnica Asia and HortEx are co-hosted by DLG Markets China and China Agricultural University (CAU). Bringing together research institutions, technology providers, policymakers and agricultural practitioners, the conference will focus on practical applications of digital farming, artificial intelligence, robotics, and unmanned systems tailored to Asian production systems.
