Smart Net-Zero

March 2, 2026 | Taipei Times |

Taiwan's Ministry of Agriculture reports its Tea and Beverage Research Station has developed an AI-powered drip irrigation system to help tea growers manage more erratic rainfall and drought. The system combines IoT sensors, evapotranspiration calculations, micro-weather monitoring, and a cloud platform so farmers can track field conditions on mobile devices and receive customized irrigation advice. According to the station, the system increased tea shoot numbers by 1.6-fold, raised raw tea leaf production by 1.24-fold during a wet summer and by 2.2-fold during dry periods, and reduced irrigation water use by up to 24 % in dry seasons. While research showed that caffeine and total catechins in the leaves fell slightly under this system, the produced tea outperformed crops grown with traditional techniques in terms of fragrance, flavor, and sweet aftertaste. The station said the system could help growers shift from weather-dependent irrigation to more precise water management.