Geek power to help farmers
Putting computer ‘‘geeks’’ and farmers in the same room might see sparks fly and hopefully solve technical farm issues, say Federated Farmers.
A hackathon will combine the two groups, including going to a farm in an initiative by Manawatu’s Federated Farmers and the Building Clever Companies (BCC).
Federated farmers Manawatu/ Rangitikei dairy chairman, Mat Hocken said farmers would find new technology developed by the ‘‘techies’’ useful.
He said BCC was drawing technology people together and they would talk to farmers to find out out what technology was needed to make farming easier.
Hocken said new apps could focus on areas such as as a real time pasture meter or software to help find water leaks as additional connectivity would mean that farmers might be able to use smart phones.
‘‘There are lots of practical things on farm, problems which can be solved. We want farmers to get together with these techies to find some answers.’’
He said there was to be prenight function which would put farmers with computer people later this week.
Federated Farmers provincial president James Stewart said he doubted the technical people could come up with answers straight away.
He said the technical people would come out ‘‘from behind their computers’’ to his farm for breakfast [on March 11].
‘‘They will see a working farm and it might help open their minds to the issues grass-roots farmers have. The world is changing quickly as we move through yet another industrial revolution, this time the revolution is around data. We are seeing tech disrupting just about everything from the way we do business, to the way we communicate around the globe.’’
He said the concept of smart or connected farms was to have real solutions that helped farmers to make timely decisions..
‘‘When you think of the fact that man went to the moon with less technology than the smart phones, we are already in an era of having a new generation of smart farm systems.
‘‘Our farms are working with faster information and tools that help farmers who have more responsibility in providing safe product in an environmental aware society. Much of this technology is also important for New Zealand’s image of having smart, innovative and responsible farmers who export all over the globe with high value product.’’
He said there was a lot of interest in agri tech particularly within Manawatu which had already thought about economic growth.
Stewart said the Rural Games from March 10-12 would bring rural New Zealand to an urban audience.
He said Federated Farmers would take part in the cow-pat throwing.
More agricultural events would follow the Rural Games including a sheep milking conference, future farms conference, future leaders discussion and three days of Central Districts Field days.
‘‘We should take regional pride in our farming and our research here in Palmerston North. It is leading edge. We have the Fonterra Research Centre, Massey University, Food HQ to name just a few,’’ Stewart said.
The official opening of hackathon would in agri-week from March 13 to March 18.