DIGITAL AGRICULTURE PRACTICES IN THE CONTEXT OF AGRICULTURE 4.0

Abstract

Purpose- Agricultural production is under heavy pressure based upon increasing world population and significant changes in the climate. In this study, the concept of digital agriculture practices and their effects on agricultural productivity is discussed. An evaluation of current circumstance is made through the cases of Doktar Inc. and Tarla.io which are digital agriculture companies located in Turkey.

Methodology- This study has utilized case method to evaluate the current circumstance of digital agriculture applications in Turkey. Since digital agriculture is an area that is still in early development stage in Turkey, case method is one of the most suitable methods. 11 open-ended questions and subsequent interviews sent to Doktor Inc and Tarla.io General Managers via e-mail and answers are evaluated with other collected data.

Findings- Digital agriculture applications are in the early development stage in Turkey. The companies that are discussed in the paper have made meaningful progress regarding raising awareness of farmers and other involved parts of agriculture sector in Turkey. While the penetration of the two companies is currently not enough both as volume and quantity, the applications used for digital agriculture by them are parallel with the applications in developed countries.

Conclusion- Digital agriculture practices in Turkey have yet to be implemented in very limited, but there are steps to be taken to acceleration. To develop digital farming in Turkey, supports of government have strategic priorities. In this context, the development of a digital agriculture action plan and supporting of this strategy with related policies and implementations, like in the EU countries and USA, will enable the expansion of agricultural production vision in Turkey. Technopolis and incubation centers of universities will be able to transform the accumulated scientific knowledge into initiatives and create a digital agriculture-focused ecosystem.

Keywords

• Digital agriculture,big data,innovation,IoT,cloud computing

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