KUALA LUMPUR: Padi farmers throughout the country can soon turn to Rakan Tani, a homegrown artificial intelligence (AI) co-pilot for real-time, personalised farming advice via WhatsApp.
The moves comes after the nationwide rollout of the conversational, generative AI-powered assistant to help padi farmers following a collaboration between Digital Ministry, Agriculture and Food Security Ministry, National AI Office (NAIO), Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) and Global AI Village (Gaiv).
In a statement yesterday, the Digital Ministry said Rakan Tani is a locally developed solution designed to address agricultural challenges while also 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% today, against a national target of 80% 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 to help farmers make timely decisions.
The nationwide rollout follows a 10-week pilot involving 42 farmers under Bernas’s Large-Scale Padi Field Programme in Sungai Manik, Perak.
Around 200 farmers are expected to adopt the use of Rakan Tani by the end of this month and expanded to some 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 (pic) said the initiative reflects the government’s commitment to ensure 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,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mohamad Fazeli Abdullah, a farmer from Sungai Manik, said 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.
