China has rolled out plans to develop smart agriculture by giving prominence to the completion of seven major tasks by 2028 in terms of precision planting, digitalized cultivation and intelligent livestock breeding and fisheries.
Released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the plans include guidelines and action items that focus on significantly improving the application of smart agriculture. Key areas of emphasis include promoting precision planting of major grains, digitizing agricultural equipment, and enhancing intelligent livestock breeding and fisheries.
"We have orchestrated a monitoring network consisting of remote satellites, drone surveillance and ground screening, enabling real-time and comprehensive monitoring of agricultural meteorology, soil moisture content, and environmental factors such as pests and diseases. This greatly improves our ability to monitor and forecast agricultural disasters," said Wang Yaozong, director of the Department of Market and Informatization at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
For the first time, the construction of public service capacity for smart agriculture has been proposed. To support this initiative, relevant authorities will build a big data platform for agriculture and rural affairs and develop a range of models and tools to promote the digital transformation of farmers and agricultural businesses at low costs.
In Xiong'an New Area, Hebei Province, a smart farm called Fuxi Farmland has been implemented in various cities across China.
Utilizing big data and artificial intelligence (AI), engineers can manage grain planting by controlling remote unmanned machines from a control center located 20 kilometers away, while accessing real-time information about crops through a large monitoring screen.
"The smart agricultural machines are equipped with various intelligent control systems. Following the pre-set routes, they can operate accurately according to our pathways, with support from the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, all initiated through an app on a mobile phone or smart terminal," said Bi Zhiqiang, an engineer at the Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Besides serving sowing and planting links, smart equipment also enhances breeding efficiency by creating models based on big data to optimize processes. To date, Fuxi Farm has been established in several provinces, facilitated by the deepening integration of technologies such as the Internet of Things and AI with agriculture.
China raises seven major tasks to develop smart agriculture
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
