MALAYSIA BEGINS NATIONWIDE ROLLOUT OF AI-POWERED FARMING TOOL, RAKAN TANI

KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 (Bernama) — Malaysia has begun the nationwide rollout of Rakan Tani, a homegrown artificial intelligence (AI) co-pilot that delivers real-time, personalised farming advice to padi farmers via WhatsApp.

The initiative is a collaboration between the Ministry of Digital, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, National AI Office (NAIO), Padiberas Nasional Berhad (BERNAS) and Global AI Village (GAIV).

In a statement, the Ministry of Digital said that Rakan Tani, developed through the NAIO Lab, is a locally built solution designed to tackle agricultural challenges while accelerating AI adoption in line with the AI Nation 2030 vision.

The platform delivers tailored recommendations based on weather conditions, pest risks and field data, enabling farmers to make more informed decisions on fertilisation, irrigation, and overall crop management.

“Malaysia's rice self-sufficiency stands at just over 50 per cent today, against a national target of 80 per cent by 2030. The gap is not a lack of knowledge, but the challenge of turning it into consistent action on the ground.

“While Malaysia has strong agronomic expertise, scaling personalised, day-to-day guidance for every farmer has remained a challenge,” the statement read.

It added that Rakan Tani functions as an AI-powered support tool, continuously updating its guidance based on weather patterns, pest threats, and field conditions to help farmers make timely decisions. 

The nationwide rollout follows a 10-week pilot involving 42 farmers under BERNAS’ Large-Scale Padi Field Programme (Smart SBB) in Sungai Manik, Perak.

Around 200 farmers are expected to be onboarded by the end of March, with the initiative set to scale to approximately 110,000 registered padi farmers nationwide.

The enhanced version includes improved soil moisture analytics, pest monitoring capabilities and expanded crop guidance tailored to local rice varieties.

Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said the initiative reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring AI delivers tangible benefits to the people.

“AI must deliver real value to the rakyat. Through Rakan Tani, we are placing practical AI tools directly in the hands of farmers, helping them make better decisions, improve productivity, and strengthen Malaysia’s food security.

"Our goal is to ensure no Malaysian is left behind in the digital age. To build an AI Nation, we must show the rakyat how innovation solves everyday problems. By democratising access to high-level expertise, we are ensuring that the benefits of digital transformation are felt as much by the rural padi farmer as they are by the urban tech developer, to uplift the lives and livelihoods of all Malaysians,” he said.

Meanwhile, a farmer from Sungai Manik, Mohamad Fazeli Abdullah, reported that his yield rose from four to nine metric tonnes in a single planting cycle after adopting the platform’s recommendations.

“Rakan Tani has become an essential tool in my daily farming. It gives clear guidance on fertilisation, pest control, and water management. With accurate weather insights and timely alerts, I no longer rely on guesswork, and my harvest has improved beyond what I thought possible,” he said.

The initiative is also expected to support agricultural modernisation and encourage youth participation amid an ageing farming population.

-- BERNAMA