The EU and its member states must ensure that all EU farmers, including small and young ones and those in remote areas, have proper access to recent innovations and technologies, says a non-legislative resolution adopted by the Agriculture Committee of the European Parliament on April 26.
Members of the committee believe that innovation can increase farmers’ income, create rural jobs and make European farming more sustainable and more productive in times of rising global demand for quality food with the lowest possible environmental footprint.
“This is about the huge potential for smart farming to boost yields and help the environment – feeding the world without it costing the planet,” said Ms. Anthea McIntyre, of the right-of-center, European Conservatives Party, who drafted the report which was approved by the committee.
Precision farming, and recent technologies, including the satellite ones, will lead to more sustainable production, more efficient use of water and other resources and higher farmers’ income, MEPs say. Precision farming and digital technology integration can make EU agriculture more attractive to young farmers and boost growth and employment, they believe.
The committee therefore calls on the EU Commission and member states to:
- stimulate the development and uptake of precision farming technologies for all farm types;
- apply a targeted research into nutrient efficiency to improve soil and water management and involve farmers in ;the design of soil nutrient mapping technologies,
- create partnerships of innovative actors, including small farmers and those in remote areas;
- make information and communication technologies (ICT) more accessible to EU’s agriculture; and
- work closely with farmers and researchers to develop new skills and ensure knowledge transfers, including via trainings and apprenticeships for young farmers.