Agriculture Must Adapt IT – Teagasc

Mr. Liam Aylward, MEP, speaking today (Thursday 14 July ) at the opening of the Teagasc Farming IT event in Kildalton College said that farmers should maximise the benefits that can be got from the application of Information Technology.  He said, “F inancial management, time management, effective communication and technical efficiency are the skills required by all farmers to succeed in the future.  Using  e-technology will be essential in ensuring farmers are successful in these key areas of their businesses.  The increase in the number of part-time farmers will also compound the need to adapt IT practices”.

Mr. Aylward told the conference that already there are many examples of e-technology serving farmers.  “T he new e-service section of the Department of Agriculture and Food allowing the registration of calves and the tracking of animal movements is a good example of what can be done, giving benefit to farmers and the Department”.  He said other examples included the assembly of information on cattle breeding by ICBF and feeding back useful information to farmers.

Dr. Tom Kelly, Programme Manager, Teagasc Farm Management and Technology Services, and organiser of the event, said that of forty percent (40%) of farm households with PC’s only fifteen percent (15%) were using the equipment for the farm and only one percent (1%) was using the internet.  He said that of the farmers using computers for their farm enterprise most were in dairying and tillage.  “B ut e-technology has a vital role in all farming enterprises” said Dr. Kelly.

Referring to mobile phones Dr. Kelly said a very positive development was the use of mobile phones by farmers.  To date 95% of farmers have a mobile phone.  The mobile phone is now part of the essential equipment to plan, organise, manage and review activities on the farm. It has replaced a lot of face to face interaction and is now starting to overlap personal computers in its ability.  “F armers should maximise the use of the mobile phone for their farm business”, he said.

In conclusion, Dr. Kelly said, that the more farmers use IT and mobile phones for information gathering and exchange the better their farming practises.  “M ore information means better decisions”, said the Teagasc Business and Technology Manager.

Ends

Issued by Larry O’Loughlin

Head Public Relations Department, Teagasc

Tel: 059 9183408; 087 2562434

Email: loloughlin@hq.teagasc.ie