Technology has become an integral part of modern agriculture, but implementing agritechnologies goes far beyond simply acquiring the latest equipment. The most successful producers use technology to solve real problems, increase efficiency, and make informed decisions based on reliable information.
During a panel discussion at the Potato Congress, industry participants discussed how farmers can avoid marketing noise and choose technologies that bring tangible benefits directly to the farm.
Loffie Brandt, Head of Agriscience at Absa, noted that farmers often associate technology with drones, artificial intelligence, and robots, but it should be viewed more broadly. According to him, almost all agricultural data is generated by some form of technology—be it a weather station, soil moisture sensor, irrigation monitor, or even a mobile phone used to manage farm operations.
Brandt emphasized that the value of technology should be determined not by its complexity, but by whether it solves a practical problem, creates value, and helps build a more sustainable and robust agricultural business. South African farmers have long been innovators, motivated by the need to adapt to variable rainfall, infrastructure limitations, changing markets, and growing pressure on natural resources.
One key takeaway from the discussion was that technology cannot replace the fundamental principles of good farming practice. Konrad Frankenkel, Extension Manager at Citrus Research International (CRI), pointed out that many producers invest in advanced systems before mastering basic production principles.
Frankenkel explained that in the citrus industry, despite access to some of the world's most advanced irrigation systems, it was found that many farmers continued to overwater their crops. He stated: 'We realized we needed to return to basics and strengthen scientific principles before adding more technology. Technology should improve decision-making, not replace sound management.'
CRI has trained thousands of farmers in strengthening basic practices before introducing more complex digital tools, including irrigation planning, nutrient optimization based on soil and leaf analysis, and data interpretation.
As water becomes an increasingly scarce resource, irrigation technologies represent an area where farmers can achieve significant operational gains. Bruno Perroni, Head of Agtech Sales for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East at Lindsay Corporation, observed that many farmers already have valuable technologies on their farms but are not utilizing their full potential.
He noted that most farmers use irrigation systems merely to deliver water, whereas these systems are capable of performing much more. They can help answer important questions such as water volume, application location, and system efficiency. Perroni believes that the next step in irrigation technology will be integrating machine diagnostics, meteorological information, soil moisture data, and remote sensing into simple, actionable recommendations. Future systems will focus on providing practical guidance to support daily decisions through precision irrigation tools like Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI).
The common challenge producers face is managing the information coming from numerous different platforms and systems. Werner Peck from Syngenta reported that farmers often collect large volumes of data, but they struggle to turn this information into useful solutions. Integrated systems allow combining data from machinery, irrigation, chemical treatments, inventory management, soil maps, and historical records, enabling farmers and consultants to make more informed decisions.
As farms become increasingly complex commercial entities, digital platforms help various stakeholders, including managers, financial directors, and technical consultants, access real-time data from a centralized source.
Drone specialist Ocky Vermeulen stated that the biggest misconception about drones is that farmers still view them as experimental technology. He explained that the value of a drone lies not in the device itself, but in the timely and accurate information it provides.
Drones provide direct operational benefits in key areas of production: monitoring crop health using multispectral imaging to detect plant stress and pest outbreaks; targeted application of pesticides to reduce resource costs; yield estimation using plant counting analytics to improve harvest planning; and early detection of issues, such as irrigation leaks or nutrient deficiencies, before crop damage occurs.
The drone industry is rapidly developing in South Africa, serving thousands of hectares with a growing network of accredited suppliers, workshops, and trained technical specialists supporting the equipment.
Technology is also transforming the relationship between farmers, financiers, and product buyers. Caridas Tshintsholo, CEO and co-founder of Khula!, stated that the best exchange of information can unlock financing opportunities, especially for emerging producers. Sharing key data improves a farmer's risk profile and opens access to capital, including satellite imagery for remote crop growth verification, soil moisture readings to demonstrate proactive risk management during drought, and production logs to confirm operational control and historical yields.
The same principles apply to commercial buyers who rely on real-time production data for supply chain planning and rapid response to yield fluctuations.
Experts at the congress agreed that there is no one-size-fits-all technology for every farm. The best investment depends on the scale of the farm, the enterprise portfolio, internal skill capacity, and specific field challenges. As Loffie Brandt concluded during the session: 'The future of agriculture will be built not only by technology. It will be built by people willing to embrace innovation while remaining grounded in the practical reality of farming.' For South African farmers, agritechnology is not about chasing the newest tools, but choosing technologies that enhance efficiency, reduce risks, and support better decision-making step by practical step.
