Opportunities and risks of digitization in agriculture

On 6 March 2019, a ScienceLounge with experts from research, business and politics was held on the topic “Digitization in Agriculture” in the Café 7gramm in Halle (Saale), Germany. On the podium, Matija Zulj, CEO and founder of Agrivi, Oleksandr Verzhykhovskyi, Chief Operating Officer of the agricultural company IMC, and IAMO researcher Ivan Duric discussed the challenges of digitization in German and Eastern European agriculture together with guest of honor Thomas Wünsch, State Secretary in the Ministry of Economics, Science and Digitization of Saxony-Anhalt.

Sensor technology, use of drones, statistics-based algorithms for harvest estimation, precise sowing and fertilization, apps for farmers – there are extensive opportunities to use smart technologies. The guests agreed that significant cost and labor savings can be achieved through digitization. For the expansion of digitization, however, the corresponding prerequisites for a functioning infrastructure and the targeted training of workers must also be created.

The Science Lounge was presented by Ina Volkhardt from the ScienceCampus Halle (WCH).

The event was organized by the Leibniz ScienceCampus “Eastern Europe – Global Area” (EEGA) together with the Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO) and the ScienceCampus Halle – Plant-based Bioeconomy (WCH).

A more detailed English report on the ScienceLounge can be found here.

For a more detailed report in German click here.

Some impressions of the event: