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Digital Agriculture A Significant Opportunity To NZ’s Primary Industries.
September 6, 2022
Digital agriculture is creating a
significant opportunity to enhance New Zealand’s primary
industries, including economic, environmental, and social
outcomes.
The
latest AgritechNZ report just released today creates a
baseline of digital adoption across the primary sector to
better understand the motivations, pressures and barriers
faced by farmers and growers in adopting new tools,
AgritechNZ chief executive Brendan O’Connell
says.
The research was designed to provide actionable
insight for agritech businesses, industry groups and public
agencies who seek to unleash the potential of digital
agriculture and develop strategies to support farmers and
growers.
“There is a deep richness in the findings
and attitudes to digital adoption. A total of 59 percent of
the surveyed population lean towards the adoption of digital
technologies,” O’Connell says.
“But this is for
very different reasons and with different pathways to
participation depending on the mix of motivations,
pressures, and barriers.
“A total of 41 percent of
respondents sided with not seeing much value in using
digital technology to run their business.
“This is a
high proportion, though not unexpected considering knowledge
levels are low, and the value of data sharing is still to be
unlocked.
“While there is a healthy population of
trailblazers across all sub-sectors and age groups, on the
whole, the willingness to adopt early is lower than outside
the primary sector.
“Proudly traditionalist farmers
and growers are reluctant to change what has worked for
their land for many years.
“They may accept
technology in the office or will tap into the expertise of
contractors for specific jobs, the key though is that
someone else is doing it.
“With regards to data
sharing, 64 percent of farmers and growers have confidence
in the custodians of their data and 77 percent are happy to
share data where the data provides direct benefits to
them.
“This is a seemingly positive result but is
balanced by data that shows only half of farmers and growers
are data sharing.”
The biggest barriers to data
sharing revealed by the survey included that farmers and
growers did not believe their data would have value to
anyone else.
There is a low recognition of the value
in the data held on farm and a difficulty in unlocking the
value of shared data. There is also a lack of clarity around
who would want the information and why.
This is what
can lead to confusion, mistrust and fear. Confidence comes
from knowing who is using it and for what,” O’Connell
says.
“Adoption on use of digital technology is
highest in farm business management, such as accounts,
payroll and health and safety solutions.
“This may
be the entry point for digital technology on farms, with
many tools having been around for a long
time.
“Across the primary sector, the lower adoption
areas are water, irrigation management, plant and crop
management and effluent management.
“However, those
with a higher need for precision in these areas are showing
higher adoption rates. Operational areas with lower current
adoption levels are also the areas with lower intended
investment levels over the next two years.
“Tracking
data over future survey points will provide valuable
insights into how technology spend plans change with land
use changes, policy changes and as the agritech market
develops.”
The report was created as part of a study
by AgriTechNZ and insights partner Research First, supported
by Zespri, DairyNZ, FAR, the Fertiliser Association of New
Zealand and the New Zealand Ministry for Primary
Industries.
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