The changing face of farming: more technology

 Different scenarios depicting the future farmer are already percolating through, particularly in more intensive dairy operations, he says, as a commentator in the MYOB report.

“As time passes and a new generation comes through, you’ll see more and more of that approach to farming and by 2040 I’d expect it to be much more widespread, perhaps even ubiquitous.”

Clark says compared to where farming has come from – even five years ago – it is amazing how much electronic and machine technology is in use on farms. Farming is perceived by many to be low-skilled and low-tech, but the reality is very different. By 2040 farming will be in many ways a high-tech industry. 

“This level of sophistication will be extremely important by 2040 if our productive sector is to meet the opportunities and challenges of the global markets.”

Clark says by 2050, 70% of the world population may be living in cities with more than one million people. “That will have big implications on what people will be eating. It will also have an enormous impact on how countries provide for growing populations in cities. Particularly in Asia they will eat more protein which New Zealand is well placed to provide.”

But New Zealand will face challenges from lower cost producers in the developing world as they become more productive and competitive. New Zealand will also face constraints on land and water and will be subject to more environmental controls.

Since the 1980s, the agricultural sector’s growth has been three times higher than the economy. But we can’t take it for granted that will continue without investment in people, transport, communications, science and genetics, he says.

“One of the areas with a lot of potential is agricultural services – particularly for export. We’ve a got huge expertise developed over many years in agriculture, behind the farm gate and in front of it. There’s a massive market out there for our expertise with the potential to provide an opportunity for a new sector of farming.”

All at a touch!

Excerpts from the agricultural scenario in MYOB’s ‘The Future of Business Report, New Zealand in 2040’, released this month:

• The rooster’s crow wakes the farmer at 5am on February 6, 2040. He gets out of bed and launches the farm management app on the dashboard of his tablet….. 
• A diagnostic programme on an alarm is alerting him to a power fluctuation in one of the fence lines …he’ll have to send a line runner out to repair the break …..  
• He checks on one of the camera feeds in the office to make sure the cows are lined up in front of the auto milking shed, being gently herded by a pair of rolling barriers which guide them through the gates. He’ll go down shortly and check his herd … but first he needs to launch the drone from its hangar to head out on the first of its visual inspections of the property. 
• As he heads out the door, he checks the irrigation app on his smartphone, and selects the best irrigation pattern for the day’s weather forecast he’s just received … Looks like it’ll be another good day…