MINSK, 19 April (BelTA) – Plans are in place to introduce a system of precision farming throughout Belarus during the ongoing five-year period, Belarus' Deputy Agriculture and Food Minister Vladimir Grakun said in an interview to STV channel, BelTA has learned.
The structure of the country's cultivated areas has been worked out by the National Academy of Sciences. Despite not very fertile land, the observance of technology allows getting a sustainable crop, necessary to ensure food security and create the seed reserve.
Advanced IT technologies are also used in the fields - precision farming systems (yield accounting, fuel consumption). The area of use of such elements continues to expand. “We plan to implement a full precision farming system throughout the territory. We are saving on the application of mineral fertilizers, which are now very expensive. I think that in this five-year period we will implement the system,” said Vladimir Grakun.
We also have to respond to climate change, which is especially felt in the southern part of the country - in Gomel Oblast and Brest Oblast. “There is a problem of moisture supply, and our climatic zones have changed. Accordingly, the approaches and technologies of crops cultivation have changed as well. That is, traditional crops are still cereals, corn, rape, but drought-resistant varieties are used. We also introduce watermelons. Today those watermelons which are grown in Belarus are of higher quality - more tasty - than those cultivated in Asian countries. We have begun to pay attention to the planting of walnut orchards as part of the Horticulture program, the deputy minister added.
Corn plantations are also increasing. If 20 years ago there were small areas, today they occupy more than 200,000 hectares.
