With search engines and apps at their fingertips, growers could easily be convinced they have all they need to make informed decisions. Janet Lawless from InteliGro offers a different opinion.
Since data and observations are logged in the field, and information must be accessed wherever it’s needed, the modern grower has a tablet or smartphone at hand at all times. Farming today is all about insights and informed decision-making.
However, not all data is created equal. Simply because something is on the internet and comes up as a hit in a Google search does not necessarily mean it is accurate, current or relevant to your farm. Never before has there been more data available in the world – a reality that is sadly not reflected in the quality of decision making across all spheres of society, agriculture included.
The pool of knowledge has become so deep and wide that most people seldom proceed beyond a paddle in the shallows. Often too, that paddle takes place in second-hand shallows – information curated, compiled and packaged by a third party who may not be qualified to put scientific research into perspective. One only has to think about the misinformation pandemic that accompanied Covid-19.
Where does this leave agri-producers?
Firstly, it is essential that growers take a step back from the information avalanche and consider the sources they consult and rely on. When researching sclerotinia, for instance, Google alone offers 1,8 million results in seconds – but how relevant and up to date is the information? Unless you know how to efficiently filter those hits for relevance and verify the accuracy, you will be no closer to the crop protection answer you need. And once you have that answer, how do you go about integrating the control of one pest with the rest of your farming operation in the context of overall crop planning, input cost management, environmental sustainability considerations and profitability?
Secondly, producers have to invest in building relationships with trusted business advisors. At InteliGro, the partnerships and alliances we have formed give us access to an unprecedented spectrum of technology and quality products on the one hand, and scientific, verified information on the other. By marrying the two perspectives with an understanding of a grower’s unique circumstances, we offer credible, accurate and relevant information that informs integrated crop management strategies.
When we say it all starts on the farm, we also refer to the use of information and data. Only when specifics enter the decision-making equation is relevance guaranteed. This is the space in which InteliGro positions itself. Our Certified Crop Advisors (CCAs) are the link between a world of information and a specific set of circumstances on a client’s farm.
Take, for instance, the topic of winter cover crops. An online search results in almost 9 000 hits, none of which is likely to elaborate on how to factor moisture management into the return-on-investment calculation for these crops in terms of kilograms of meat produced in the western production areas of South Africa. InteliGro CCAs are privy to the scientific research that was done on this topic and can guide producers in their decision making.
Thirdly, producers will benefit from engaging with information through the channels that best suit their circumstances and preferences. Again, to use the InteliGro example: while they are at the centre of our offering, the CCAs are not a grower’s only information option. We regularly host information days where producers have direct access to a variety of technology, quality product experts to talk to, and present virtual events to expand our reach and make information widely available. A prime example of the latter is the annual Row Crop Symposium during which growers and experts share their views, experiences, challenges and solutions with viewers. To keep the verified data available for longer, we upload shortened videos of the various Symposium topics on our different social media platforms.
We view independent experts as critical to empowering growers with knowledge, and in this regard we are working hard to bridge the gap between academia and the industry. By focusing research resources to help solve the challenges producers grapple with, real progress can be made to ensure sustainable agriculture and long-term food security.
Growers know all about separating the wheat from the chaff on the farm; to be successful and sustainable in a fast-changing industry and marketplace, they have to do the same when it comes to the information and resources they seek out to guide their decisions.
AFRIKAANS
Skei die koring van die kaf: besluitneming in ‘n wêreld oorweldig deur data
Met soekenjins en toepassings aan hul vingerpunte, kan produsente maklik glo hulle het alles wat nodig is om ingeligte besluite te neem. Janet Lawless from InteliGro sien die saak anders.
Die noodsaaklikheid om data en waarnemings in die veld op te teken en toegang tot inligting te hê wanneer ‘n vraag ookal opduik, maak dat die modern produsent altyd ‘n tablet of slimfoon byderhand het. Hedendaagse boerdery draai om insigte en ingeligte besluitneming.
Alle data is egter nie ewe goed nie. Bloot omdat iets op die internet is en as ‘n Google soekresultaat verskyn, beteken nie noodwendig dit is akkuraat, aktueel en relevant op jou plaas nie. Daar is deesdae meer data as ooit tevore beskikbaar in die wêreld – ‘n werklikheid wat ongelukkig nie weerspieël word in die gehalte van besluitneming in alle sfere van die samelewing, landbou ingesluit, nie.
Die kennispoel het so diep en wyd geword dat meeste mense selde meer doen as rondplas in tweedehandse vlak water, naamlik inligting wat uitgekies, saamgestel en verpak is deur ‘n derdeparty wat meestal nie gekwalifiseerd is om wetenskaplike inligting in perspektief te stel nie. Mens kan maar net dink aan die mate waartoe Covid-waninligting ‘n pandemie opsigself was.
Waar laat hierdie stand van sake landbouprodusente?
Eerstens is dit noodsaaklik dat produsente terugstaan van die stortvloed van inligting en die bronne wat hulle raadpleeg en vertrou, in heroorweging neem. Wanneer mens sclerotinia opsoek, byvoorbeeld, gee Google 1,8 miljoen resultate binne sekondes – maar hoe relevant en op datum is die inligting? Behalwe as jy bedrewe is in die kuns om die resultate vir relevansie te filter en weet hoe om akkuraatheid te verifieer, is jy niks nader aan die gewasbeskermingantwoord wat jy soek nie. En selfs al kry jy die antwoord, hoe integreer jy die beheer van een pes in die res van jou boerderyaktiwiteite in die konteks van oorhoofse gewasbeplanning, bestuur van insetkoste, vereistes vir omgewingsvolhoubaarheid en winsgewendheid?
Tweedens moet produsente moeite doen om verhoudings te bou met besigheidsadviseurs wat hulle vertrou. By InteliGro gee die vennootskappe en alliansies wat ons smee ons toegang tot ‘n ongeëwenaarde spektrum van tegnologie en kwaliteit produkte aan die een kant, en geverifieerde inligting aan die ander. Ons kombineer dié twee perspektiewe met ‘n begrip van die produsent se unieke omstandighede. Dit stel ons in staat om geloofwaardige, akkurate en relevante inligting waarop geïntegreerde gewasbestuurstrategieë geskoei kan word, aan te bied.
Wanneer ons sê alles begin op die plaas, verwys ons ook na die gebruik van inligting en data. Slegs wanneer spesifieke vereistes deel word van die besluitnemingvergelyking, kan relevansie gewaarborg word. Dit is dan ook waar InteliGro geposisioneer is. Ons Gesertifiseerde Gewas Adviseurs (Certified Crop Advisors (CCAs)) bou ‘n brug tussen die wêreld van inligting en ‘n spesifieke stel omstandighede op ‘n kliënt se plaas.
Neem byvoorbeeld die onderwerp van winterdekgewasse. ‘n Internetsoektog lewer bykans 9 000 resultate, maar die kanse is skraal dat selfs een van hulle sal verduidelik hoe om vogbestuur in te werk wanneer hierdie gewasse se opbrengs op belegging bereken word in terme van kilogram per vleis per hektaar geproduseer in die westelike produksiestreke van Suid-Afrika. InteliGro se CCAs het egter toegang tot die wetenskaplike navorsing wat hieroor gedoen is, en kan produsente dus rig in hul besluitneming.
Derdens sal produsente daarby baat om dié inligtingskanale te gebruik wat die meeste aanklank by hul omstandighede en voorkeure vind. Om weer die InteliGro voorbeeld te gebruik: alhoewel hulle sentraal tot ons aanbieding staan, is CCA’s nie produsente se enigste inligtingsroete nie. Ons bied gereeld inligtingsdae aan waartydens produsente direk met ‘n verskeidenheid tegnologie- en produkkundiges kan gesels, asook virtuele geleenthede om ons inligting so ver en wyd as moontlik beskikbaar te stel. ‘n Goeie voorbeeld van laasgenoemde is die jaarlike Rygewassimposium wat ‘n platform bied vir produsente en kundiges om hul menings, ervarings, uitdagings en oplossings met kykers te deel. Hierdie geverifieerde data bly beskikbaar vir langer in die vorm van verkorte video’s wat ons op ons verskillende sosiale mediaplatforms laai.
Ons beskou onafhanklike kundiges as deurslaggewend in die proses om produsente met kennis te bemagtig en daarom werk ons hard om verhoudings tussen die landboubedryf en die akademie te bou. Deur navorsingskapasiteit toe te spits op die uitdagings waarmee produsente worstel, kan ons daadwerklike vordering maak op die gebiede van volhoubare landbou en langtermyn voedselsekuriteit.
Produsente weet hoe om op die plaas die koring van die kaf te skei. Ten einde suksesvol en volhoubaar te wees in ‘n bedryf en mark wat al hoe vinniger verander, moet hulle dieselfde doen met die inligting en hulpbronne wat hulle kies om hulle besluite te rig.
