New Zealand Farm Tech's Growth Potential
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Technology
Farming Innovation and Technology is the Silicon Valley of New Zealand, According toMassey University Professor's Opinion
It has become a mantra to talk about the need to diversify our export industries away from the primary industries and to add value to our primary production through manufacturing. I agree with these sentiments but we mustn't ignore our strengths.
We are world leaders in primary production and deliver great food throughout the world because of the inventiveness of our farmers, scientists and engineers.
Farming innovation and technology is the Silicon Valley of New Zealand. An impressive range of technologies have been developed that make farms more efficient, decrease their environmental footprint and save time and labour. Without these technologies we would be paying a lot more for food.
New Zealand exports its on-farm technology and there is huge potential for growth.
Gallagher Group export electric fence systems worldwide in a business stemming from Bill Gallagher inventing the fence energiser in the 1930s, and they continue to innovate. We have developed sensors and digital cameras used on land and in the air that provide maps to show where pasture, crop production and soil moisture varies in paddocks and across the landscape. This information is used to apply fertiliser only where it will be effective.
The New Zealand Centre for Precision Agriculture at Massey University developed a variable rate fertiliser system that uses GPS to link the fertiliser hopper in topdressing planes to a farm map of fertiliser requirements. Planes with this system automatically adjust the fertiliser rate as the plane flies over the farm. No more fertiliser goes on poorly productive land, wetlands and roads and there is less pressure on the pilot.
Craige and Roz McKenzie integrate many innovative technologies on their Methven farm to produce very high yielding crops using less irrigation water and fertiliser.
They use technologies such as electromagnetic soil mapping of water holding capacity across the farm, variable rate irrigation and fertiliser application with a GPS linked spreader. Sensors and testing are used to monitor soil moisture and nutrient changes. They were recognised for their cutting edge operation with the top environmental award at the 2013 Balance Farm Environment Awards.
BioLumic is a spin out company from Massey University that uses patented ultra-violet (UV) light recipes to increase the production and the hardiness of vegetable crops. Based on fundamental plant research by horticulture lecturer Dr Jason Wargent, arrays of LED lights are used to grow vegetables faster with greater resistance to pests and disease.
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