AGRITECHNICA ASIA 2026 to feature new Smart Agriculture Conference
On 21 May during AGRITECHNICA ASIA and HortEx, 20–22 May 2026, in Bangkok, Thailand – Conference partner China Agricultural University (CAU) Organizer DLG Markets China
AGRITECHNICA ASIA 2026 will feature a new international Conference on Smart Agriculture and Unmanned Agricultural Systems, strengthening the exhibition’s role as Asia’s leading platform for technology-driven farming. The conference will take place on 21 May 2026 at the BITEC venue, Bangkok at AGRITECHNICA ASIA and HortEx (20–22 May 2026), and is 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.
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.”
From policy frameworks to 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.
AGRITECHNICA ASIA 2026: Technology, knowledge and capacity building
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.
Media contact:
Malene Conlong
Tel: +49 6924788237
Email: M.conlong@dlg.org
About DLG
With more than 30,000 members, DLG is a politically independent and non-profit organisation. DLG draws on an international network of some 3,000 food and agricultural experts. DLG operates with subsidiaries in 10 countries and also organizes over 30 regional agricultural and livestock exhibitions worldwide. DLG’s leading international exhibitions, EuroTier for livestock farming and Agritechnica for agricultural machinery, which are held every two years in Hanover, Germany, provide international impetus for the local trade fairs. Headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, DLG conducts practical trials and tests to keep its members informed of the latest developments. DLG’s sites include DLG's International Crop Production Centre, a 600-hectare test site in Bernburg-Strenzfeld, Germany and the DLG Test Centre, Europe's largest agricultural machinery test centre for Technology and Farm Inputs, located in Gross-Umstadt, Germany. DLG bridges the gap between theory and practice, as evidenced by more than 40 working groups of farmers, academics, agricultural equipment companies and organisations that continually compare advances in knowledge in specific areas such as irrigation and precision farming.
www.dlg.org