Digitalization in the agricultural sector is effective in reducing crop failures

Palembang, South Sumatra (ANTARA) – Digitalization in the agricultural sector is effective in reducing the potential for crop failure, according to R. Erwin Soeriadimadja, Director of the Representative Office of Bank Indonesia (BI) in South Sumatra.

The head of the office said the 100% rate is recorded among the shallot and chilli growers receiving aid from BI at Science Techno Park in Ogan Ilir district, South Sumatra.

“I can say that the success rate of farmers who have implemented agricultural digitization reaches 100%,” Soeriadimadja said here on Friday.

He noted that BI had collaborated with South Sumatra Regional Research and Development Agency and Ogan Ilir District Science Technology Park to develop pilot projects for digitizing shallot, chili pepper and chicken eggs.

Farmers managed to increase their harvest to 10 tons last February, compared to the initial harvest of seven tons, he pointed out.

Soeriadimadja said mobile apps help farmers know the right time to water and fertilize plants to reduce the risk of crop failure.

Digital soil and weather sensors, mobile monitoring of crop fertilization and watering, and CCTV technology have also been used by farmers to boost their harvest, he added.

He said digitization is not only essential for distribution and marketing, but also for pre-production, production and harvesting processes.

Digitization will also minimize the potential for crop failure, the bureau chief added.

Soeriadimadja said efforts to digitize the province’s agricultural sector are also aimed at controlling regional inflation, as shallots, chili peppers and chicken eggs have significant effects on the province’s inflation levels.

“We hope that the adoption of digital agriculture will boost agricultural production, especially of shallots and chilli, to help stabilize prices and production in South Sumatra,” he said.

He expects that the digitization innovations made in the Science Techno Park can be emulated by other farms in cities and districts of South Sumatra.

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