Rural professionals helping farmers, growers as digital connection grows

And that's before you take into account the wealth of opportunities for the sector being opened up by artificial intelligence (AI).

However, change doesn't come easily to everyone, and many farmers and growers encounter challenges with adoption. That may be due to uncertainty about return on investment, concerns about compatability with existing systems, or lack of digital literacy.

Increasingly, a key contribution of farm advisors and rural professionals is the ability to translate emerging technologies into practical, farm-ready applications.

This was very much a topic of conversation at our recent conference where is was also agreed that our organisation's name would change to the Institute of Rural Professionals. Our new name better reflects the wide-ranging services and advice our members are providing to farmers and growers. The professional membership body was first incorporated in 1969 as the NZ Society of Farm Managerment and in 1999 the name was changed to the NZ Institute of Primary Industry Management.

The agriculture sector has changed very significantly since then and our profession has evolved to meet those changing needs. That change includes a deep commitment to promoting technology uptake and supporting innovation across the primary sector.

As farms become more digitally connected, rural professionals equipped with the skills to identify appropriate tech and discern data quality are playing an increasingly critical role in helping farmers and growers to unlock insights from the tools available, improve productivity and meet sustainability goals.

To support this, and to build capability in data-driven decision-making, the Institute is introducing a tailored data science course into our programme of professional development for our rural professional members.

Data-based decision-making will become ever more important. The benefits of agritech are increasingly evident across New Zealand's agricultural landscape. For example, precision irrigation, drone-based crop monitoring, wearable sensors and automated machinery, all of which are enhancing productivity, reducing environmental impact and improving animal welfare.

AI-powered platforms can analyse vast datasets. The output is absolutely transformational and rural professionals are playing a pivotal role in driving the uptake of this ever-advancing technology.

Farm advisors with a deep understanding of local farming systems combined with expertise in relevant technologies are well positioned to help farmers and growers navigate this brave new world and identify and make use of the opportunities available to them - acting not only as trusted advisors, but also connectors to tech solutions and catalysts for innovation.

They can guide clients through the complexities of adopting agritech solutions and AI, providing training and troubleshooting, and ensuring their clients gain confidence and competence in using new tools.

They can offer tailored advice, demonstrate value through benchmarking, provide support in assessing farm-specific needs, recommend appropriate technologies and support implementation. Additionally, they can facilitate peer-to-peer learning via field days and discussion groups.

Through collaborating with research institutions and agritech developers, rural professionals also have a role to play in shaping the development of agri technology to ensure it is relevant to New Zealand systems and accessible.

In his 2024 report Redefining Excellence in Agribusiness Advisory, Nuffield Scholar James Allen explored the evolving role of rural advisors in response to rapid changes in farming systems, technology and societal expectations. His report emphasises that while technology may replace some technical functions, the advisor's value will increasingly lie in their ability to relate, challenge, motivate, coach and inspire. In essence, to bridge the digital divide.

By supporting farmers and growers to be at the leading edge of efficiency gains through technology, and by embracing and promoting its uptake, our rural professionals will be helping to ensure New Zealand agriculture retains its significant role in global food production.

As New Zealand aims to double our export value and meet climate targets, rural professionals can help expand tech reach through fostering innovation, championing agritech, and building trust in the tools, empowering farmers to futureproof their operations and contribute to a resilient high performing agricultural sector.

Jo Finer is chief executive of the Institute of Rural Professionals (formerly NZ Institute of Primary Industry Management)