Time to think about 4IR benefits in farm mechanisation

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations describes agricultural mechanisation as the use of machinery and equipment, ranging from simple and basic hand tools to more sophisticated motorised equipment and machinery, to perform agricultural operations.

The goal of mechanisation is to conduct agricultural activities more efficiently. Hence, the nature and extent of mechanisation are closely related to the agricultural development of a country.

Historically, Bangladesh has been seen as a country with an abundant labour supply. However, the shortage of labourers during the rice harvest season in recent years ignites the demand for increased farm mechanisation.

Moreover, progress related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has been promising the use of more sophisticated technologies in agriculture. Against this backdrop, this article looks at the current state of farm mechanisation in Bangladesh, what technologies the Fourth Industrial Revolution offers for agriculture, and what Bangladesh needs to do to utilise the opportunities.

Farm mechanisation has succeeded in some farm operations in Bangladesh, while not so much in other functions. A review of literature reporting the status of agricultural machinery in the country gives us data on the current situation. According to some studies, in cases of land preparation, irrigation, pesticide use, threshing, and processing, there is a high degree of mechanisation (more than 90%).

In terms of types of machinery that are being used, irrigation pumps (STW, DTW, LLP) and power tillers (2-Wheel Tractors) are the most commonly used, and these are mostly powered by diesel engines. Farm power use in the country has increased from about 0.3 kW per hectare in 1960 to 1.82 kW per hectare in 2015. On the other hand, in the case of activities like planting, fertiliser application, and harvesting, there is a low degree of mechanisation (less than 10%). The adoption rates of farm machinery like rice transplanters, weeders, and combine harvesters are still very low.

However, there is a high demand for increased use of machinery during harvesting and planting operations, as those are times of high labour requirements, and shortage of supply during those times is driving up labour costs, which make up the largest share of the expenses in most farming enterprises.

The government is responding to this gap by subsidising various machines, including combine harvesters and rice transplanters. The National Agricultural Mechanization Policy 2020 emphasises the role of appropriate scale mechanisation by ensuring technical support for the extension of agricultural machinery at all levels.

Despite these efforts, the adoption of combine harvesters and rice transplanters has been low, and a major part of these activities are still done by hand. The (small) scale of farm operations in terms of plot size and low investment capacity of farmers (compared to developed as well as many developing countries), is a major bottleneck in expanding the use of farm machinery in Bangladesh.

Now, as the technologies related to the 4th Industrial Revolution knock at our door, there are many more technological opportunities to take advantage of.

Before we go into the specifics of such technologies, it is important to recognize what we understand about the different industrial revolutions and how they relate to agriculture. These "revolutions" have had a profound impact on the way we produce things, including agricultural production, processing, and marketing.

The first industrial revolution began in 18th century Britain and then spread to other parts of the world. It can be characterised by the development of mass production systems through the transformation from hand and animal-driven production systems to the use of machines, steam engines, some forms of chemical energy, etc. Agriculture was facilitated by this revolution by the availability of a wider variety and stronger tools and the improvement in transportation systems.

Then, the second industrial revolution gave us diesel engines, widespread use of electric power, chemical fertilisers, etc. Many of these innovations are associated with the Green Revolution technologies widely utilised in agriculture (improved seeds, chemical fertilisers, and irrigation). The third industrial revolution (sometimes referred to as the digital revolution) can be characterised by the use of computing and information technologies. It provided the world with tools like semiconductors, computers, satellites, and the internet.

These technologies provided agricultural researchers, policy-makers, and farmers the ability to gather and analyse larger quantities and more advanced forms of data. Agricultural technology experienced many advances during these periods, providing stress-resistant and genetically engineered crops, more advanced pesticides and insecticides, and more sophisticated food value chains.

The fourth industrial revolution, a newer concept being popularly used since the last decade, is an advanced form of technological progress happening due to an increase in interconnectivity and smart automation, which combines machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of things (IoT), robotics, and gene editing that "blurs the lines between the physical, digital, and biological worlds". The 4IR has received much attention in agriculture as it can help in precision farming techniques by advanced uses of smart sensors in measuring soil moisture and pH, diagnosing insect pests, keeping track of crop' health; providing automated smart irrigation systems; using robotics or drones as sprayers; ensuring controlled greenhouse gas emissions; and reduce the necessity of monitoring by humans in different operations.

Besides, smart packaging technologies (active and intelligent packaging) can improve product shelf life, and ensure quality. Also, big data analytics can help forecast demand for agricultural products and IoT can help ensure food quality and safety. So, 4IR can use artificial intelligence, IoT, and robotics to exponentially improve farming and marketing outcomes by lowering costs and improving productivity and efficiency.

Now, if we closely observe the status of mechanisation in Bangladesh, the discussion is still happening predominantly in terms of the adoption of technologies coming out from the 2nd industrial revolution (power tillers, harvesters, transplanters, etc.).

There is also the adoption of ICT in agriculture, but mostly in research, education, and extension. Unfortunately, the adoption at the farmers' level is still low. Although mobile phone penetration has increased over the last few decades, still many people are not using it. According to the recent census, currently, about 56% of the population use mobile phones and about 31% use the internet (Dhaka Tribune, July 27, 2022). Moreover, the use of smartphones or other digital tools in agriculture is very limited.

As we consider what Bangladesh needs to do to reap the benefits of the 4IR (and even 3IR) in agriculture, both long-term and short-term strategies are important. In the shorter run, steps should be taken to better utilise technologies that are already available.

For example, ensuring power supply and stable mobile network for uninterrupted communication; data collection, processing, dissemination, and networking through mobile apps; using big data analytics in research, policy-making, production, processing, and marketing; using blockchain technology to ensure traceability of products in the agricultural supply chain and better understanding price transmission; etc.

Bangladesh is expected to face many challenges in maintaining food production levels and providing food security for its citizens in 2023 due to the possibility of a global recession, the Russia-Ukraine war and subsequent energy price increase, unfavourable trends in the foreign currency market, and several other domestic and international pressures. Adopting and properly utilising the technologies mentioned above will help Bangladesh avert a food crisis and maintain sufficient production levels.

Besides, in the long run, investments need to be made in building human resources and other infrastructure capable of contributing to the innovation process in 4IR technologies in agriculture. We need engineers and other experts who can cater to the needs of local producers and consumers by providing appropriate technologies for their use.

Unlike combine harvesters and transplanters, which face significant difficulties in adoption in this country due to the small scale of farm operations, 4IR technologies should be more "scale friendly" for Bangladesh, and it can be expected that its adoption will be more rapid. It will be a question of developing the right innovation platforms and ensuring an investment climate conducive to growing these platforms. Only then can we expect Bangladesh to benefit from the promises of the fourth industrial revolution.

The author is an associate professor of the Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of  Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Bangladesh Agricultural University