Acceleration of digital transformation in agriculture sector for ensuring sustainable food security
Needs assessment and policy recommendations report
Description
The “Acceleration of the digital transformation of the agriculture sector to ensure sustainable food security” needs assessment report provides information about the digital transformation and smart agriculture applications in agriculture and e-commerce in Türkiye in the COVID-19 pandemic era. Based on both qualitative and quantitative data and primary and secondary research, the report focuses particularly on key agricultural indicators, digital agriculture concepts, the impact of smart agricultural practices, and the effectiveness of the digital transformation in agriculture from economic, social and cultural perspectives. The assessment was carried out in three phases: Phase 1) An assessment of the current situation, following a step-by-step process under the following headings: Materials and Method; Key Indicators of Agriculture in Türkiye; Digital Agriculture Concept and its Development; Digital Agriculture Components; Importance of Smart Agricultural Practices and Applications Around the World in the COVID-19 Era; The Situation of Smart Agriculture in Türkiye; E-Commerce Term Components in Agriculture; and, E-Commerce Effects and Contributions to Agriculture. Phase 2) Data gathering and analysis involving the collection of valuable data from 85 field studies (by 35 institutions/organizations and 50 producers) covering 14 provinces in Türkiye. Phase 3) Policy recommendations contributing to the improvement of the production and sustainability of digital applications in the agricultural sector considering the need to adapt quickly to changing conditions, especially in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The assessment suggests possible areas for intervention and initiatives to address the identified challenges.
Technology
- Big data
- Blockchain
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- Cloud
- Drone
- Internet of things (IoT)
- E-commerce/online marketplace
- GPS
- GIS
- Mobile app
- Remote sensing
- Robotics
- Social media
- Website
- Sensor
Based on the findings of the second phase of the assessment, for which 35 institutions and 85 producers filled in a questionnaire, the report concluded that various digital technologies had been adopted by agrifood stakeholders in Türkiye, including: herd management software (used by 17.86% of producers for the management of livestock data and operations to enhance productivity and animal welfare); smart irrigation systems (used by 19.15% of producers to optimize water usage through sensors and automation); drone technologies (used for the precision pesticide spraying of crops such as rice, corn and sunflower); robots (autonomous devices operating with loaded software without human intervention); GPS systems (used for mapping), artificial intelligence; blockchain; Internet of things (IoT); and virtual reality (VR). The use of smartphones is becoming notably more widespread, most frequently to access such basic information as agricultural weather reports and product prices and such well-established applications as İşbank’s “İmece” application, the “e-government” application and the “Hepsiburada” application
Target
- Academia and research institutions
- Agriculture cooperatives
- Farm advisors
- Civil society organizations
- Medium size farms
- Large size farms
- Public sector
- Private sector
Academia and research institutions can use the assessment and its recommendations to identify gaps in education, research and training within the agriculture sector, while agricultural cooperatives can keep abreast of the challenges and opportunities within the value chain. Civil society organizations can enhance their advocacy activities using the assessment data in the implementation of targeted programmes. Farm advisors and large-scale farmers can utilize the information to identify possible digital solutions and technologies that can improve efficiency and productivity. The private sector can use the report to explore investment opportunities, while the public sector can use the evidence-based data and recommendations made in the report to inform policy-making decisions and to steer the effective allocation of resources to support the digital transformation of the agricultural sector.
Impact
The report assesses the digital transformation of agriculture in Türkiye during the COVID-19 pandemic (2021), highlighting the challenges and identifying areas in need of improvement. The report can be used as a benchmarking and baseline reference, and the included data can help agricultural stakeholders improve productivity and sustainability by suggesting digital solutions, thus benefitting both large producers and smallholder farmers. The report claims that smallholder farmers tend to be reluctant to adopt digital solutions due to their limited budgets and knowledge, but suggests that this can be remedied by leveraging the recommendations included in the assessment, possibly with the support of organizations and the public and private sectors.
Partners
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Türkiye, Development and Investment Bank of Türkiye
