Agriculture technology (or agritech) is a growing industry that is helping producers to be more efficient, productive, and profitable. However, agritech in the Caribbean region is very limited though it could really help us to up our game with respect to food security and agriculture resiliency.

 

Worldwide, farming has been looked down upon as a profession. Typically, people became farmers or remained farmers due to limited opportunities to do otherwise. As a result, their offspring were encouraged to do well at school so that they would not have to resort to farming for a living.

To be fair, in the Caribbean region, most farmers manage small plots of land that allow them to subsist, so it is not unreasonable for them to want more for their children than a very modest existence. However, we now have fewer farms, fewer people farming and a greater emphasis on imported food in most of our economies.

Unfortunately, the current situation exists at a time when food security has been identified as a major priority in most countries. The disruption of supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic, the adverse and unpredictable weather and climatic conditions we have been experiencing, and a host of other factors have highlighted the importance of countries being able to feed themselves.

More recently, the CARICOM Private Sector Organisation (CPSO), which is an Associate Institution of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), launched its “Twenty-five by 2025 Initiative” which seeks to reduce the extra-regional agri-food imports by 25% by 2025. Though a key focus of that initiative would be to have the challenges associated with the free movement of goods across the CARICOM region addressed, matters related to enhancing food and nutrition security and strengthening agriculture resilience, among other issues, will also need to be addressed.

 

The emergence of agritech

In light of the above, agriculture technology, more commonly known as ‘agritech’ ‘or agtech’, which is the application of technology and digital tools to farming, is an area that is still underdeveloped in the Caribbean region, but it could be a key factor in improving the region’s food security and agriculture resilience. Globally, the agritech market size was valued at USD 24.491 billion in 2022 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.33% to USD 49.212 billion by 2028 (Source:  MarketWatch).

Across the Caribbean region, some inroads have been made into agritech, but currently, it is still ad hoc, with the odd small farmer incorporating technology into their operations. Typically, it might be young farmers – millennials or GenY – who at the very least, are comfortable with technology and have been intentional about going into agriculture, who are the ones leveraging agritech to improve productivity and yield.

 

Pros and cons of agritech

Increased yield, efficiency and profitability are key desired outcomes and benefits of agritech, but, there are several ways in which it can be integrated into a venture. Some examples are outlined below.

  • Use of current and historical data to make projections that can be used to refine farming strategies, such as regarding weather patterns or the relationship between certain practices and yield.
  • Optimising production through the use of tracking and monitoring tools, which are analysed and used to refine the production process, such as to track temperature changes, humidity, soil moisture and chemistry, or even to track the health and location of livestock. A
  • Automating certain aspects of the production process, such as through the use of sensors and robots.
  • Establishing tightly controlled environments, such as with smart greenhouses.

However, realising the benefits of agritech requires a lot of legwork, to set up the system initially and thereafter ensure that it is functioning well. It may also need a fair amount of investment to acquire the requisite hardware and software. However, the biggest challenge is whether farmers are comfortable engaging with technology, have the requisite skills to do so, and are comfortable relying on the data generated instead of depending on the suggestions of an agriculture specialist who may occasionally visit.

 

Developing agritech in the Caribbean

Without a doubt, there is considerable scope for growth and integration of agritech into the Caribbean agricultural sector, as small-scale farming, fishing, horticultural and animal husbandry practices have remained unchanged for at least the past 50 years – though to a considerable degree, these are the producers that feed our countries. However, increasing the adoption of agritech is likely to require government intervention, to advise farmers on agritech solutions, facilitate their procurement, and provide training and capacity building. Unfortunately, and although Caribbean governments have been advocating for and recognise the importance of greater food security and agriculture resilience, it does not readily appear that they are ready to implement the necessary policies and develop the ecosystem – of which agritech will undoubtedly be a part – to achieve those goals.

Having said this, it could be argued that agritech is still in its infancy, and so there is no rush for the region to adopt it. However, much of the current technology is geared towards large-scale operations, whilst across the region, it is small farmers who are the backbone of the local supply chain – who stock our markets and our shops, but do so on small acreage, which may not be as well represented in the agritech solutions currently on the market. Hence there may be significant and lucrative opportunities to develop agritech tools and solutions suited to small-scale producers both within the region and internationally.

Something to think about.

 

 

Image credit:  Kaboompics .com (Pexels)