[LUM#7] When Digital Technology Takes Off
Will digital technology be the key to saving agriculture? That’s the bet being made by the #Digitag Institute, a multidisciplinary research organization launched in Montpellier in 2016. Its focus: more energy-efficient production and farmers relieved of the most tedious tasks. A revolution in the making.
A host of sensors to manage water application and fertilizer use, an array of connected traps releasing pheromones to lure pests away from crops, a wealth of shared data to inform decision-making—all centralized on a smartphone that has become the farmer’s most valuable tool… Welcome to the farm of the future—a hub of technology designed to enable more precise, environmentally friendly farming practices that are less burdensome for farmers (Technological Innovation in Agriculture, in Géoeconomie, 2016).
Toward a practice that is chosen, not imposed
“The goal is twofold: to improve production and to better integrate farmers into society,” explains Véronique Bellon-Maurel, director of the Ecotechnologies Department atIrstea. “Farming is a very complicated profession, and it’s becoming increasingly so: technical, regulatory, administrative, and commercial complexities… Add to that a level of uncertainty not found in any other profession—and one that’s intensifying with climate change…” It’s a rather bleak picture, but digital technology could help shed some light on it.
“Autosteering on tractors has changed the lives of many farmers ,” says the director of the #DigitAg Institute. “When you don’t have to focus on staying in a straight line, you can think about other things…” The same goes for milking robots, which have freed up valuable time for dairy farmers to focus on business activities, care for their herd… or spend time with their families. In short, for Véronique Bellon-Maurel, the goal is to enable farmers to invest their time in activities that are “either more lucrative or more fulfilling—in any case, chosen rather than endured.”
Ageek Farmers
Is digital technology the lifeline for a profession in crisis? The idea isn’t necessarily obvious, given that automation is more closely associated with the widely contested model of intensive agriculture. This is a misconception, according to the Irstea researcher, who instead sees it as an opportunity to move toward greater frugality: “Organic farmers, for example, are the ones who need observation the most, because in this type of farming, interventions are rare and must be precise and planned in advance.” The goal: to produce better. “Limiting the use of pesticides means saving time and reducing tractor usage, not to mention, of course, the benefits in terms of pollution and the farmer’s health…” summarizes the specialist (Putting Agricultural Equipment and Digital Technologies at the Forefront of Agroecology, in OCL vol. 24, 2017).
For small-scale farmers, digital technology is also a powerful tool for breaking out of isolation. As a result, there’s a growing number of “ageekculteurs” who maintain blogs and Twitter accounts and participate in forums or other crowdfunding platforms. Down the supply chain, digital technology is also revolutionizing distribution by facilitating direct connections between producers and consumers—through initiatives like AMAP and short supply chains. The result is a rebalancing of the power dynamics traditionally dictated by traditional distribution players.
Startups and Big Players
As a result of this paradigm shift, agriculture is opening up to a new audience—one that is more tech-savvy and also more female. “It’s an opportunity to welcome people who don’t come from a farming background and have a different way of approaching it,” says Véronique Bellon-Maurel. While a new app for farmers seems to emerge almost every day, the digital revolution is not without its concerns, particularly regarding the mountain of data emerging from our rural areas (Data to Share, Value to Create in the Digital Economy, in Innovations agronomiques, INRA, 2018). “Data is now being collected with a spatial and temporal frequency never seen before. This offers great hope that, thanks to smart data, we can extract models that will shed light on how crops and livestock operate. But there’s also the question of data security. “What will happen if this data falls into the hands of monopolistic players?” asks the director of #DigitAg.
Faced with the risk of agrochemical companies or other seed producers monopolizing these databases for their own profit, there is a lifeline: opening up the data, thereby fostering the emergence of a diverse range of players (startups, cooperatives) rather than just a few behemoths. An “open agriculture” that could one day allow everyone to find happiness in the fields once again.
In Africa, too, agriculture is going digital!
Digital technology in agriculture—a high-tech luxury reserved for wealthy countries? Not true, say researchers at the #DigitAg Institute, some of whom are studying the use of new technologies in agriculture in the Global South. In Africa, the spread of cell phones is opening up a world of possibilities. Today, these devices give farmers direct access to commodity prices, thereby reducing their dependence on middlemen. Thanks to cell phones, farmers can also receive expert advice and regularly updated weather forecasts. Another promising development is the use of satellite imagery, which provides an at-a-glance overview of conditions in an agricultural area. This makes it possible to assess, on a day-to-day basis, the water and input needs of vast areas without having to travel there…
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