Internet Plus Helps Agriculture Modernization Take Off
Right now, during the critical period of rice growth, at the intelligent rice production demonstration park in Fujin City, Heilongjiang Province, technician Zhang Guoqin gently clicked the mouse, and a scene appeared on the computer screen: rice seedlings danced in waves, and the canal beside the paddy field left glistening ripples.
Zhang Guoqin said that with the application of Internet of Things technology, the paddy field no longer needs manual operation when it lacks water. Water level sensors installed in the field automatically detect the depth of the water layer, and through wireless transmission equipment, the collected data is transmitted in real time to the intelligent irrigation control system. After the system diagnoses the situation, the decision instructions issued are transmitted to the irrigation control device in the field, and then the water in the pond is automatically irrigated into the paddy field.
“Using cloud data as a platform, we have achieved monitoring and assessment of crop growth, nutrient diagnosis, and disaster warning in farmland.” Zhang Guoqin said.
“Growing crops with a click of the mouse”——Zhang Guoqin's Internet of Things rice cultivation is one reflection of Internet Plus agriculture. As the Internet continues to expand into the agricultural field, China's agricultural Internet has shown broad prospects. The Guiding Opinions on Actively Promoting the “Internet Plus” Action issued by the State Council recently proposed developing precision production methods. In fields and regions with a relatively good foundation, popularize networked agricultural environment monitoring systems based on environmental sensing, real-time monitoring, and automatic control. In large-scale production areas of bulk agricultural products, build an integrated space-ground agricultural Internet of Things measurement and control system, and implement precision operations such as intelligent water-saving irrigation, soil testing and formula fertilization, and machine positioning for farming.
Experts said that by combining existing science and technology through the Internet, new technological combinations can promote the development of modern agriculture, reduce environmental pollution, save costs, and improve the quality of agricultural products. This is conducive to the sustainable development of agriculture and has a strong demonstration and leading role for the development of modern agriculture.
⟦NL> The traditional methods of watering, fertilizing, and spraying pesticides based entirely on experience and feeling are now shifting toward quantified and precise production management. The reporter learned during interviews that in Heilongjiang and other places, modern large agricultural machinery using GPS positioning can sow and harvest regardless of day or night, with real-time quantitative and precise control through information-based intelligent monitoring systems.
The traditional methods of watering, fertilizing, and spraying pesticides based entirely on experience and feeling are now shifting toward quantified and precise production management. The reporter learned during interviews that in Heilongjiang and other places, modern large agricultural machinery using GPS positioning can sow and harvest regardless of day or night, with real-time quantitative and precise control through information-based intelligent monitoring systems.
At present, China's agriculture is both squeezed by the dual pressures of the price “ceiling” and the cost “floor,” and constrained by the dual restrictions of subsidy “amber box” and resource and environmental “red lights.” The urgent task is to accelerate the transformation of the agricultural development model and take a path of modern agricultural development featuring efficient output, safe products, resource conservation, and environmental friendliness.
The opinions proposed improving the level of networked services. Deepen the pilot program of bringing information to villages and households, and encourage the provision of policy, market, science and technology, insurance, and other production and living information services to farmers through the mobile Internet.
Vice Minister of Agriculture Chen Xiaohua believes that bringing information to villages and households can rely on the Internet, give full play to the role of information in guiding production and guiding the market, and achieve precise alignment between consumer demand and production supply; give full play to the role of the Internet of Things in saving costs and increasing efficiency, and achieve efficient allocation of production factors; give full play to the role of e-commerce in reducing circulation costs, and achieve innovative development of circulation methods; and give full play to the role of science and technology as the primary productive force, giving agriculture the wings of science and technology.
“All of these will promote the penetration and integration of the Internet with the entire agricultural industry chain, build new competitive advantages for agriculture, promote agricultural transformation and upgrading, and accelerate the realization of agricultural modernization.” Chen Xiaohua said.
Now, many farmers are particularly interested in the “new things” of Internet Plus. Han Guiyin, a large grain grower in Kengtang Village, Jiaxiang County, Shandong Province, said: “This year I used the ‘Cloud Farm,’ and no matter what problems I encounter from planting to harvest, I don't have to worry. I just need to take out my phone and ‘click a few times,’ just like having a personal butler for farming.”
“Cloud Farm” is an agricultural Internet high-tech comprehensive service platform launched by Beijing Tianchen Cloud Farm Co., Ltd., integrating agricultural materials e-commerce, agricultural product trading, rural logistics, agricultural technology services, and rural finance. It provides a variety of services such as Agricultural Materials Hub, Harvest Hub, Agricultural Technology Connect, Farming Treasure, and Technology Packages, and can meet the various needs of farmers before, during, and after planting. Its essence is “Internet Plus agriculture plus high technology.”
“The impact of Internet Plus on modern agriculture is very broad and far-reaching.” Li Guoxiang, a researcher at the Rural Development Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, believes that it can not only solve the prominent problems existing in China's agriculture, but also has broad application prospects in agricultural socialized services, agricultural science and technology, and other aspects. Internet Plus will have a positive and important impact on the whole society and all agriculture-related entities.