Here, we discuss what to expect from Agritechnica 2019, an ongoing exploration of agricultural innovation in Hanover
There are already transferable ideas coming out of Agritechnica 2019, which will finish on 16 November.
Whilst the business expectations in France and Great Britain remain average, despite the unclear Brexit situation, there is less optimism for cash crop producers in Germany over the next year. Regulation increase, regional drought and export uncertainties are amongst the causes of this decrease in market faith.
Agritechnica this year has 1,750 exhibitors from outside of Germany, suggesting an international community coming together for agricultural innovation.
The key foreign countries participating are:
• Italy, with 370 exhibitors
• China, with 163 exhibitors
• The Netherlands, with 113 exhibitors
The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) are also present, alongside 22 different regions such as India and the Russian Altai region.
UNIDO will raise the question of protecting food security, especially in developing areas which are particularly struck when soil quality and lack of water become issues. Together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Agritechnica are going to share working principles for improved cultivation systems.
The sustainability of crop protection is also another idea being shared amongst exhibitors: How to farm sustainably? How to contribute less to greenhouse gases via agricultural innovation?
Whilst these immense questions cannot be answered by a single entity, they can be answered by several with their unique perspectives of agriculture.
For example, some technical solutions are presented by UNIDO, including managing scarce water sources and reducing post-harvest losses.
Below, the chairman of the Agritechnica Innovation Commission, Dr. Markus Demmel, discusses some of the predicted trends in agricultural innovation:
1. Tractors
“Exhaust emission legislature remains a technology driver and is defining not only engine development but also that of the tractor as a whole due to its influence on many of the vehicle’s assemblies. In part, re-engineered or new tractor models are being presented along with the shift to the Stage V exhaust emission level.”
2. Soil
“The challenges facing soil cultivation technology are high – particularly in light of the decline in the active ingredients used in crop protection agents. In the future, all options for preventing soil degradation, humus loss, diseases and pests will have to be exploited. Post-harvest management and soil cultivation play a central role in this.”
3. Digital systems and IT
“The range of innovations for driver relief begins with the use of holographic elements in the driver’s cab and augmented reality and goes all the way up to freely configurable multi-terminal systems.
“Automatic overloading systems with artificial intelligence and radar-supported warning systems for people in the area around agricultural machines also serve to reduce the strain on drivers and are intended to decrease the frequency of accidents.”
For more updates on what innovation and problem-solving tech is happening in the field, keep up with Agritechnica 2019.
