Precision agriculture: technologies and policies
Two conferences promoted by the organizers of the Umbria festival focused on the technical characteristics of digital agriculture and on the impact this can have on productivity and quality of processing, even in small businesses
A conference entitled “Precision Agriculture: Goals, Applications, and Perspectives”, which took place during the EIMA Show, presented the features and benefits of these new cultivation systems. Opened by Francesco Panella, Vice-President of the Foundation for Agricultural Education, the meeting tackled the issue of agricultural productivity linked to the strong demographic growth expected over the next thirty years. By 2050, the primary sector will have to meet the food needs of more than 10 billion people. To make this happen, agricultural production will have to increase by 70%. In this scenario, precision farming can play a key role not only in boosting production yields, but also in optimizing use of resources. “Agricultural mechanization, and with it the primary sector, are experiencing a period of significant change. In the near future, the tractor will become a real computing center. Data on soil moisture - explained FederUnacoma president Alessandro Malavolti - plant growth or distribution of the nutrients will be processed and reprocessed by the tractor with the aim of scheduling on-demand interventions.” Agriculture in the near future, Agriculture 4.0, will therefore be increasingly “green” because all operations will be targeted. Sustainability in the primary sector is already one of the central issues of public debate and political agendas.
“Precision agriculture is taking the right direction,” said Angelo Frascarelli, of the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Perugia, “as it allows the same production level to be achieved with environmentally friendly practices and a reduced environmental impact. It is a great transformation, even cultural, which affects not only large but also small farms, as well as those with a high added value, for which it represents a significant driving force. It is a process that requires graduation”.
However, precision farming is only a component of Agriculture 4.0, which has its cornerstones in automation, cloud computing and in the networks.
“From Isobus to GPS, from prescription maps to geosensing systems, many technologies are already available on the market. But – points out Alessio Bolognesi, FederUnacoma Manager for precision agriculture - it is necessary to strengthen the infrastructural equipment of rural areas and to respond to the growing demand for training.”
The meeting closed with a testimony by Sara Antognelli who presented the results of a field research promoted by the University, and Guido Fastellini of Topcon Agriculture who provided an overview of the major technological solutions already in production.
Increased crop yields and scientific control of all production parameters are therefore the challenges that both large and smaller agricultural companies have to face. To the Agriculture 4.0 applications for family-owned businesses was in fact dedicated the conference held in the morning of July 28, titled “Digital Technologies for Quality Agricultural Productions. An Opportunity for Small Businesses.”
Following the introduction by the Secretary General of the Unacma Gianni Di Nardo, who recalled that the most innovative technologies should not only be thought of for extensive farming but also, and above all, for typical and high-quality productions, the conference – which had Cristiano Spadoni, journalist at www.agronotizie.it, as moderator - examined various aspects of precision agriculture.
The president of Coldiretti Umbria, Albano Agabiti, argued that precision farming will have an impact on how to produce that will be stronger than that of chemistry and mechanics, because it allows full traceability of agricultural products. “A qualitative leap in agriculture is possible when precision technologies become not only usable and effective but also cost-effective - said FederUnacoma Surl CEO Massimo Goldoni - and we are now in a mature stage of this process.”
The transfer in the field of technological innovations, however, needs skilled technicians and operators and for this reason, professional training plays a great role. In recalling the many promotional initiatives of its organization, the president of Unacma Roberto Rinaldin emphasized that, thanks to these new technologies, agricultural operators are turning from “manual workers” to “white collars” and experts in the use and management of IT systems.
The meticulous knowledge of the cultivated soil, the ability to evaluate the state of health and the needs of each plant and to intervene on a timely basis, which are the main advantages of Agriculture 4.0, make the aspiration of every farmer come true, for the loving care of their own fields. “Our grandparents - said CAI’s technical manager, Roberto Guidotti - had already developed, decades ago, a cultivation system that could be termed “precision agriculture”.Drones, flying“agricultural” machines
On the occasion of the EIMA Show event, an agreement was signed between the Federation of Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers FederUnacoma and the organizing company of Dronitaly, Mirumir, for the development of activities aimed at precision agriculture and automation of crop operations. The agreement exclusively entrusts to Mirumir the organization of sectoral events during the forthcoming exhibitions and demonstrations promoted by FederUnacoma in 2017.
After robotics, advanced computing and electronics, the drone sector also comes into the sphere of interest of FederUnacoma, the Italian Federation of agricultural machinery, equipment and components manufacturers and care of green spaces belonging to Confindustria. In a rapidly changing agriculture, aiming at precision machining solutions and increasingly timely and scientific management of natural resources and production factors – FederUnacoma argues – the use of drones has become crucial and the synergy between the agricultural machinery sector and that of small specialized aircrafts for precision operations becomes increasingly strategic. In this framework, the agreement between FederUnacoma and Mirumir srl, the organizing company of Dronitaly, was established for the development of experimental and promotional activities of common interest and for the organization of trade fairs and demonstrative events. The first opportunity to apply the deal was the EIMA Show, the farming event that was held in Casalina di Deruta on 28 and 29 July.
Mirumir attended the event with a dedicated exhibition space and a testing area in which, in compliance with current regulations, it was possible to see the work of the drones produced by some of the most important manufacturers.
Under an agreement signed between the two organizations, the collaboration also extends to the international exhibition of Agrilevante, which will take place from 12 to 15 October in Bari, and that will therefore include in its commodity the drones sector, to which will be devoted a collective exhibition area exclusively managed by Mirumir.
