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Against weeds: The transition from herbicides to robotsNordell, Ossian January 2024 (has links)
Chemical herbicides have been widely used in agriculture since the middle of the 20th century since they limit the competition of resources between crops and weeds. Herbicides are known to cause environmental degradation and to risk organisms and human health. Herbicides are chemical compounds that target weeds in different ways due to their chemical structures and concentrations. There is a growing concern with the usage of herbicides and the opposition to herbicides is growing due to the many risks the substances. There is an increased demand for sustainable options to chemical herbicides. Mechanical weeding has been used traditionally for weed management but has been forgotten due to the high efficiency of chemical herbicides. Precision agricultural technologies (PATs) can limit weeds mechanically. In this thesis PATs refer to robots equipped with AI, sensors, and other autonomous functionalities. This thesis studies how farmers perceive PATs and their ability to limit herbicides. The focus is on which factors need to be considered for farmers to adopt PATs for weed limitation, as well as what outcomes farmers expect from weeding tools. This research is a qualitative study conducted with semi-structured interviews with farmers. The most prominent themes were the business of agriculture, weed management, environmental perspectives, and perception of tools. These themes were used to find the farmers’ perceptions of PATs, and what outcomes a tool is expected to deliver. The theory of mediated activity (MAT) is used to analyse what the farmers want from their tools and how they perceive the PATs. Diffusion of innovation theory (DIT) is used to analyse the adaptability and willingness to adopt innovation, such as PATs. The key factors affecting adaptability are profit, efficiency, flexibility, and environmentally sustainable outcomes. These factors affect the farmers the most when adopting new tools and these are what the farmers are looking for in tools. To increase farmers' adoption of novel innovations they need to be presented with proof that the tools will bring the key factors. If PATs can offer the farmers the key factors the PATs can help to limit herbicide usage and therefore become a tool of sustainable transition.
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An analysis of precision agriculture in the South African summer grain producing areas / Hendriks J.Hendriks, Joseph January 2011 (has links)
Both globally and locally, agriculture faces ever increasing challenges such as high input costs, strict environmental laws, decrease in land for cultivation and an increase in demand due to the growing global population. Profitability and sustainability requires more effective production systems. Precision agriculture is identified as such a system and is built upon a system approach that aims to restructure the total system of agriculture towards low input, high efficiency and sustainable agriculture.
The aim of this study was to analyse the state of precision agriculture in the summer grain producing areas of South Africa, specifically the North West and Free State provinces. In order to achieve this, a literature study was conducted. During the literature study the term ‘precision agriculture’ was defined and discussed. The precision agriculture cycle and its components were explained and benefits of precision agriculture were identified. The literature study was concluded with identifying and discussing the most widely used and most beneficial technologies as well as reasons for slow adoption.
Findings from the literature study were used to investigate the state of precision agriculture locally. In order to achieve this, a quantitative approach was used and information was collected by means of an empirical study using a questionnaire. Questionnaires were distributed to farmers using selling agents of an agricultural company that is well represented in the targeted areas. The data was then statistically analysed.
The survey showed that only 52% of summer grain producing farmers in the North West and Free State provinces of South Africa practises precision agriculture as defined in the
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literature study. The study also revealed that the majority of precision agriculture farmers are over the age of 40, have more than 16 years of farming experience, are well educated, cultivate more than 1,000 hectares and uses none or little irrigation. The most commonly used precision agriculture technologies were grid soil sampling and yield monitors. The perception among most of the farmers was that precision technologies are not very affordable, not easily available and that it lacks proper testing with regards to efficiency. The group of summer grain–producing farmers that have correctly implemented precision agriculture as per definition stated that the benefits they derived from precision technologies include reduction in input costs, increased outputs and improved management skills. Too high implementation costs and technologies not providing enough benefits were among the main reasons farmers do not implement precision agriculture.
It was concluded that a significant effort and amount of work is needed to increase the use of precision agriculture among summer grain–producing farmers in the targeted areas. A consolidated effort from government, agricultural institutions and agricultural companies will be needed to achieve this goal. Implementing precision agriculture as a system will require education (from primary to tertiary institutions) and improved marketing strategies. Only then will precision technologies be able to help meet the future demands placed on the agriculture sector. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.
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An analysis of precision agriculture in the South African summer grain producing areas / Hendriks J.Hendriks, Joseph January 2011 (has links)
Both globally and locally, agriculture faces ever increasing challenges such as high input costs, strict environmental laws, decrease in land for cultivation and an increase in demand due to the growing global population. Profitability and sustainability requires more effective production systems. Precision agriculture is identified as such a system and is built upon a system approach that aims to restructure the total system of agriculture towards low input, high efficiency and sustainable agriculture.
The aim of this study was to analyse the state of precision agriculture in the summer grain producing areas of South Africa, specifically the North West and Free State provinces. In order to achieve this, a literature study was conducted. During the literature study the term ‘precision agriculture’ was defined and discussed. The precision agriculture cycle and its components were explained and benefits of precision agriculture were identified. The literature study was concluded with identifying and discussing the most widely used and most beneficial technologies as well as reasons for slow adoption.
Findings from the literature study were used to investigate the state of precision agriculture locally. In order to achieve this, a quantitative approach was used and information was collected by means of an empirical study using a questionnaire. Questionnaires were distributed to farmers using selling agents of an agricultural company that is well represented in the targeted areas. The data was then statistically analysed.
The survey showed that only 52% of summer grain producing farmers in the North West and Free State provinces of South Africa practises precision agriculture as defined in the
v
literature study. The study also revealed that the majority of precision agriculture farmers are over the age of 40, have more than 16 years of farming experience, are well educated, cultivate more than 1,000 hectares and uses none or little irrigation. The most commonly used precision agriculture technologies were grid soil sampling and yield monitors. The perception among most of the farmers was that precision technologies are not very affordable, not easily available and that it lacks proper testing with regards to efficiency. The group of summer grain–producing farmers that have correctly implemented precision agriculture as per definition stated that the benefits they derived from precision technologies include reduction in input costs, increased outputs and improved management skills. Too high implementation costs and technologies not providing enough benefits were among the main reasons farmers do not implement precision agriculture.
It was concluded that a significant effort and amount of work is needed to increase the use of precision agriculture among summer grain–producing farmers in the targeted areas. A consolidated effort from government, agricultural institutions and agricultural companies will be needed to achieve this goal. Implementing precision agriculture as a system will require education (from primary to tertiary institutions) and improved marketing strategies. Only then will precision technologies be able to help meet the future demands placed on the agriculture sector. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.
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