Farm-level barriers to the adoption of precision agriculture technologies in the South African maize industry : variable rate application, section control, and guidance

Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.

ENGLISH SUMMARY : This research focuses on the farm level barriers to precision agriculture, specifically guidance/auto-steer, section control, and variable-rate application. The research was focused on the summer rainfall maize producing areas of South Africa. The first objective was to identify adoption rates of PA technology in South Africa, the second objective of the study was to identify the farm level barriers, the third was to quantify the perceived benefits of these three forms of precision agriculture (PA) and the fourth was to establish how farmers manage their machine data and view privacy considerations. In response to the farm problem as the continual cost-price squeeze, farmers must continually strive to increase their productivity and reduce their input costs. A key component of the response by maize farmers to counteract the farm problem is the adoption of PA technologies. In my sample, the adoption rates were found to be at 65% for guidance, 51% for section control, and 49% for variable-rate application. This compares favourably to the international literature which estimates the aggregate adoption of these technologies at between 29% for VRA and 59% for guidance in maize production. However, the South African adoption rates still leave ample room for improvement especially amongst smaller farms that were underrepresented in this study. Concerning the drivers of adoption this study had inconclusive and, in some instances, contradictory results (e.g., age and education) relative to the international literature. However, I found that farmers who use PA technologies have the perception that the latter technology has clear benefits for productivity and efficiency. Concerning the farmers not using PA, responses were mixed to the extent that it created the impression that this subset of farmers is uninformed about the extent of the benefits and for some farmers the suitability of the technology given the computer literacy of their operators. The results from the surveys indicate that the perceived benefits of PA technology outweigh that of the farm-level barriers. Farmers should depreciate their capital cost over five to ten years, in terms of feasibility, instead of looking at the initial capital outlay. It is difficult to measure the efficiency improvements in terms of increased productivity and reduced driver fatigue, these variables although intangible, do play a big role in equipment management.

AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Hierdie navorsing fokus op die plaasvlak hindernisse tot presisielandbou (PL), veral selfstuur, seksiebeheer varieerbare-toediening. Die navorsing het gefokus op die mielieproduserende somerreënvalgebiede van Suid-Afrika. Die eerste doelwit was om die opneemkoers van PL-tegnologieë in Suid-Afrika te identifiseer, die tweede doelwit van die studie was om plaasvlak hindernisse te identifiseer, die derde was om die waarneembare voordele van hierdie drie vorms van presisielandbou te kwantifiseer en die vierde was om te bepaal hoe boere hulle masjiendata bestuur en hulle privaatheidsoorwegings beskou. In reaksie op die plaasprobleem as voortdurende kosprysdruk, moet boere voortdurend daarna streef om hulle produktiwiteit te verhoog en hulle insetkoste te verminder. ’n Sleutelkomponent van die reaksie onder mielieboere om die plaasprobleem teë te werk, is die aanneem van PL-tegnologieë. In my monster was die aannemingskoerse 65% vir selfstuur, 51% vir seksiebeheer en 49% vir varieerbare-toediening (VRA). Dit vergelyk goed met die internasionale literatuur, wat die saamgestelde aanneming van hierdie tegnologieë skat op tussen 29% vir VRA en 59% vir selfstuur in mielieproduksie. Opneemkoers in Suid-Afrika laat nog heelwat ruimte vir verbetering, veral onder kleiner plase, wat onderverteenwoordig was in hierdie studie. Met betrekking tot die drywers van aanneming, het hierdie studie onbesliste en in sommige gevalle teenstrydige resultate (bv. ouderdom en opleiding) relatief tot die internasionale literatuur verkry. Ek het egter gevind dat boere wat die PL-tegnologieë gebruik die persepsie gehad het dat die tegnologie duidelike voordele bied m.b.t. produktiwiteit en doeltreffendheid. Met verwysing na boere wat nie PL gebruik nie was die reaksies gemeng in soverre dit die indruk geskep het dat hierdie onderafdeling van boere nie ingelig was oor die grootte van die voordele nie en sommige boere nie van die gepastheid van die tegnologie nie, gegewe die rekenaargeletterdheid van hulle operateurs. Die resultate van die opnames dui aan dat die waarneembare voordele van PL-tegnologieë swaarder weeg as dié van die plaasvlak hindernisse. Boere moet op grond van uitvoerbaarheid hulle kapitaalkoste oor ’n tydperk van vyf tot tien jaar depresieer in plaas daarvan om na die aanvanklike kapitaaluitgawe te kyk. Dit is moeilik om die verbeteringe in doeltreffendheid in terme van verhoogde produktiwiteit en verminderde drywermoegheid te meet. Hoewel hierdie veranderlikes ontasbaar is, speel hulle tot ’n groot rol in toerustingbestuur.

Masters