MINSK, 10 January (BelTA) – The introduction of precision farming technologies in Belarus can save up to 25% of the resources, BelTA learned from Stanislav Karpovich, Head of the Central Office for Technical Progress and Energy, State Oversight Over the Technical State of Machines and Equipment of the Belarusian Agriculture and Food Ministry.
Even the introduction of some components of the precision farming system can produce a substantial economic effect, the official believes. For instance, Belarus already uses technologies like parallel driving and fuel consumption recording. They allow saving fuel and other resources in addition to making labor more productive. Only one third of the total number of fuel consumption sensors the country needs has been installed. The work goes on. “There are also systems to fine-tune fertilizer application, systems to control plowing, sample collection and analysis. Fine-tuned fertilizing coupled with field mapping can reduce costs by 24%. Special-design sprayers can save up to 25% of the amount of crop protection agents,” said Stanislav Karpovich.
The Agriculture and Food Ministry works hard to introduce digital technologies in agriculture. Plans have been made to start deploying a system to record the maintenance status of agricultural machines in Belarus in 2019. Such a system is already in place to keep an eye on animal farm equipment. The same approach will be used to handle complicated agricultural machines. A small electronic device will record the number of hours the vehicle spends with a live engine. The system will automatically upload information when the vehicle is due for maintenance. The approach is expected to make sure that maintenance is done on time, noted the ministry representative.
Precision farming is a high-technology agricultural management system based on global positioning technologies. Working the fields in a way to accommodate for specific agricultural crops is what precision farming is all about. By accumulating and processing statistics Belarusian farmers will be able to adjust their work in order to achieve maximum profit from every ruble invested in the technology.
