Why Information Technology in Agriculture

ITO FERNANDO1)
1)

Prof. S. M. Sitompul

ABSTRACT
Information technology in Agriculture. The topics addressed in this
issue respond to two major trends that affect our planet: population growth
and urbanization. Populations concentrated in cities put a strain on the
agricultural supply chain by increasing the geospatial separation between
food production and food consumption In the world, agriculture has

been the livelihood for very large majority of population. Many

sectors of economy have benefited by the use of Information
Technology, the same can also happen with agriculture sector. To
develop Information Technology based applications for agriculture
development, following issues and factors have been considered.
KEY WORDS : agriculture, information technology

INTRODUCTION
The topics addressed in this issue respond to two major trends that affect our
planet: population growth and urbanization. The predicted population growth for the first half of
this century is daunting. Depending on the estimate, there will be 9 to 10 billion people by midcentury. The current population is just under 7 billion, meaning that there will be about a 50
percent increase from the beginning to the middle of this century. One may debate the relative
accuracy of particular models, but they all agree that there will be many, many more mouths to
feed in the coming decades.
In addition to the change in sheer numbers, there will also be a change in demographics by
mid-centurya global trend toward urbanizationa shift from an agrarian lifestyle to a citybased lifestyle for the majority of people in the world. For the first time in human history, more
people today live in cities than in rural areas. It should be obvious to everyone that population
growth coupled with increasing urbanization will require a disproportionate increase in
agricultural output.

One consequence of urbanization is a rising middle class and an accompanying change in

diet, specifically a higher demand for protein. Protein requires significantly greater agricultural
resources to produce than diets based directly on staple crops such as maize or rice. In addition to
land and water requirements, protein requires feedstock crops, thereby creating a multiplier
effect. Agriculture already consumes a large fraction of the total amount of water used by
people. By increasing the amount of protein in peoples diets, water use will increase dramatically
as well.
Urbanization also leads to so-called secondary effects in overall agricultural
demand. Populations concentrated in cities put a strain on the agricultural supply chain by
increasing the geospatial separation between food production and food consumption. In addition,
the increased need for transportation of agricultural products, either crops or animals, for
processing and eventual consumption adds logistical burdens and increased costs for fuel,
infrastructure, and time. Stretching a supply chain also increases its vulnerabilities to disruption
and decreases its efficiency.
With this background in mind, this paper examine ways to meet increases in demand using
the knowledge and natural resources currently at our disposal, including information technology
(IT), which we feel has been underused in the agricultural context. IT is defined here as the use of
information to enable or improve products or processes.

DISCUSSION
In the world, agriculture has been the livelihood for very large majority of population.
From being an occupation for very long, today agriculture is turning into a struggling preoccupation. Alternates for development and growth of agriculture, that can also benefit the
cultivators are limited. Many solutions, mostly related to technology, inputs and infrastructure
implemented earlier, are loosing to deliver incremental benefits in present circumstances.
There is now an urgent need to convert agriculture into agri-businesses, which are
economically viable and sustainable in future. In this situation, Information Technology offers
new hopes. Many sectors of economy have benefited by the use of Information Technology. The

same can also happen with agriculture sector. Many small scale experiments have been conducted
by many stakeholders in the recent past. Both Government as well as Private Sector organizations
are working to develop new models for Information Technology applications in agriculture.
To develop Information Technology based applications for agriculture development, following
issues and factors have been considered, that is :

Production in agriculture, as well as consumption of agri-produce involves large numbers.

Even the trade channel players also add up to very-very large numbers. Manually and
through paper records, it has almost been a nightmare for managers of agri-businesses to
manage this data.

For bulk of the food products, for very long, production and consumption remained local
affairs. Only few products, either mass produced or specialty products were only
distributed and consumed across long distances.

Today with the opening of global economy both physical and time distance between
production and consumption is required to be reduced. This requires very-very efficient
management of Agri-business Value Chain.

Most of the regulatory framework has been evolved to either protect the producers or the
consumers. This restricted the entry of large private sector players in agri trade.

Due to lack of interest and investments by private sector, agriculture as agri-businesses has
not evolved. Farmers on their own have never been adventurous enough to become
entrepreneurs.

Integrated development initiatives covering entire value chain for agri produce has not
been possible/taken up in the past by any Agri-business Enterprise.

Development initiatives beginning at micro levels have not grown into large initiatives at
macro levels, due to many policy and management constraints. Government agencies and
NGOs have mostly taken up programs covering either one or few components of Agribusiness Value Chain.

In these programs also, most of the emphasis has been on increasing the production only.
Today this does not necessarily result in better income for the producers. Scaling up of

small scale successful models has not been possible, mainly because most of them were
not based on sound processes & systems.

Lack of confidence and trust in the past has always come in the way of public-private
partnerships for meaningful agri-business development initiatives.

CONCLUSION
Many agricultural sector have benefited by the use of Information Technology. To develop
an agricultural sector, its must be combined with information technology (IT). Information
technology are vital to the agricultural sector and agribusiness. Agriculture has also been greatly
influenced by IT.

REFERENCE

Beck J, Schulze CH. 2000. Agriculture with IT. New York : Mc Graw Hill
Quicke DLJ. 2010. Modern Agriculture. London : Chapman & Hall
Wilson EO. 2009. Agribusiness. Whasington D.C : National Academy Press