BRIN and South Korea Partner for Smart Farming

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia is set to transform its local biological resources into high-value global commodities through a sophisticated technological alliance with South Korea.

The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has officially entered a strategic partnership with the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) to implement advanced smart farming systems to mass-produce premium natural products within Indonesia’s tropical climate.

As reported by Antara, this collaboration marks the second phase of an ongoing research roadmap aimed at bridging the gap between traditional Indonesian agriculture and international industrial standards. By utilizing South Korean precision technology, researchers can now monitor the specific nutrient absorption of Indonesia’s flagship crops at every stage of their development.

"We focus on the nutrient absorption characteristics of Indonesia’s superior plants at each growth stage. Through smart farming technology from KIST, we can precisely measure the composition of nutrient solutions required under tropical climate conditions. This is vital to ensure that the quality of our natural products meets global industry standards," explained the Head of the Research Center for Sustainable Industrial Systems and Manufacturing (PRSIMB) at BRIN, Nugroho Adi Sasongko, in Jakarta on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

The scope of the one-year agreement extends beyond technical farming to include robust legal protections for scientific breakthroughs. A key component of the partnership is the securing of intellectual property rights to ensure that Indonesian biodiversity remains a significant economic asset.

Nugroho noted that any new discoveries resulting from the joint research will be registered as international patents through the Korea Intellectual Property Association (KIPA). This move is intended to safeguard local biological potential while converting it into high-value economic products.

In addition to industrial output, the partnership serves as a diplomatic bridge, strengthening bilateral ties between Jakarta and Seoul in the field of future agricultural technology. Nugroho explained that during this one-year cooperation period, both BRIN and KIST are committed to enhancing joint research capacities.

This initiative is a cornerstone of BRIN’s broader mission to build a sustainable industrial and manufacturing system across the Indonesian archipelago. The strategic alliance was formally solidified through a Memorandum of Agreement signed at the BRIN Thamrin office in Jakarta on March 28, 2026.

The signing involved Chairperson of Project Cooperation at PRSIMB BRIN, Dudi Iskandar, and Lee Ju Young, representing KIST Team Leader and Cooperation Coordinator Soo Hyun Park. This maritime and technological synergy is expected to position Indonesia as a competitive player in the global market for high-quality natural extracts and bio-based products. ***