Dr Faroby Falatehan: Don’t Get it Wrong in Applying Technology for CSA
Dr A Faroby Falatehan, IPB University lecturer from the Department of Resource and Environmental Economics (ESL), Faculty of Economics and Management (FEM) attended and expressed his views at the G20-T20 International Conference in India, some time ago.
The conference raised the topic of Securing Global Food Security through Climate Smart Agriculture, Digital Innovations, and New Institutional Governance. The event was attended by participants from various circles and countries such as Austria, India, the United States, Indonesia, Laos, Vietnam, Japan, and Australia.
In the material ‘Agri-Business Strategies For Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) Approaches’, Dr Faroby emphasized that in the CSA approach, it is necessary to consider the application of technology following conditions in the field, such as commodities, the existence of electricity and the internet networks and funding.
“Don’t make the wrong combination. If it is not right, it will affect the sustainability of the application of this technology in the long run,” he said.
Furthermore, Dr Faroby compared several technologies that can be used by farmers in conducting their business, such as drip irrigation technology, precision technology, and the use of local wisdom, which is the use of location-specific technology. These technologies are used to increase income and reduce the impact of climate change.
“When viewed from a comparison of existing technologies, the use of precision technology gets the most accurate results compared to others. However, it has a high investment cost. Meanwhile, the use of high technology will be more profitable if utilized for commodities that have high selling value,” he explained.
In the application of precision technology, to get accurate and real-time data, modern technology is needed such as drones, sensors, and the internet. On the other hand, its application requires human resources (HR) who understand smart agriculture technology, not only regarding mechanization but also the use of the Internet of Things (IoT), such as artificial intelligence (AI), sensors, and connectivity.
For semi-automated agriculture, human resources are needed who understand mechanization technology for modern agriculture. “Meanwhile, some people prefer to use technology that is specific to local conditions. In this model, a high knowledge of agricultural technology is required. In addition, the cost is lower compared to the use of IoT technology,” he concluded.
The concept of CSA was introduced by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2013. CSA is an agricultural system that transforms, directs, and guides efforts and actions to keep agriculture growing. This concept is considered capable of maintaining food security stability and adapting to climate change.
In Indonesia, this approach is developed in the form of Climate Smart Innovative Agriculture (PCII) based on modern and precision agriculture that refers to three main pillars, namely adaptation, mitigation, and productivity. One of the CSA-related projects is the Strategic Irrigation Modernization and Urgent Rehabilitation Project (SIMURP). (far/Rz) (IAAS/TNY)
