Internet Plus Helps Modern Agriculture Achieve Leapfrog Development
“Internet Plus” is a fusion of something new with traditional industry; “Internet Plus agriculture” is a brand-new transformation; in the context of the “Internet&rdquo, the cultivation and support of a group of new farmers who understand both the Internet and agriculture should be accelerated……
At the recently held 19th China (Langfang) Agricultural Products Fair, “Internet Plus” became the theme of many summit forums and special lectures. Experts believe that “Internet Plus agriculture” is essentially the use of Internet thinking and modern agricultural technology to transform traditional agriculture, realize the datafication and onlineization of the “three rural issues&rdquo, and promote the accelerated development of modern agriculture.
“Introducing Internet of Things technology to advance the innovation and transformation of agricultural technology, I think the timing, geographical conditions and human harmony are all in place, and it is a very good period.” Chen Dongmin, dean of the Institute of Technology at Peking University, believes that advancing the agricultural Internet of Things faces many major challenges and requires further research in agricultural business models so that this industry can develop in a healthy way.
Li Daoliang, a professor at China Agricultural University, believes that the most essential aspect of “Internet Plus agriculture” is how to turn agriculture into something online and datafied, and that the essence is to form a new business format through the unified optimal allocation and combination of the Internet and agricultural production factors such as land, fertilizer, seeds and technology. This new business format is certain to bring about a completely new transformation in the production methods, business methods, management methods, service methods, farmers' lifestyles and organizational methods of traditional agriculture.
“‘Internet Plus agriculture’ is the reallocation and recombination of factors, so it involves the main actors, namely farmers and enterprises, involves resources and land, involves capital and finance, involves the market and information, involves technology and talent, and involves the system.” Li Daoliang believes that because “Internet Plus agriculture” is certain to be a negation of the past system, and without negation the past traditions cannot be broken, its essence should be innovation and thinking.
However, Li Daoliang pointed out that “Internet Plus agriculture” is now doing very well in cities, but many IT enterprises feel they have almost no concept of agriculture. If these people enter this industry as the main force, combined with the分散 nature of farmers' operations and their insufficient understanding of demand, a series of problems will exist.
“‘Internet Plus agriculture’ is a fusion of something new with traditional industry, so it is inevitably a systemic issue, and its biggest problem is usually the barrel effect, where the shortest stave determines the overall level.” Li Daoliang said that an entry point must be found to realize a profit model.
“What is more essential is the business model. To do ‘Internet Plus agriculture’ well, it must be achieved that the government wins public support, enterprises realize profits, and farmers gain real benefits.” Li Daoliang said.
“The relatively large investment required has also affected the promotion of information technology in the rural areas of our province.” Zhang Wenjun, inspector of the Hebei Provincial Department of Agriculture, said that most agricultural Internet of Things products are currently research and development products with relatively high costs, and large IT operators should be encouraged to enter agriculture. At the same time, it is also hoped that agricultural Internet of Things products can be included in the agricultural subsidy sequence to boost the development of this industry.
At the same time, “training informatization talent is very important, and at this time universities and research institutes need to promote talent cultivation.” Li Daoliang said that farmers should be turned into an occupation rather than an identity.
Wang Xiaobing, deputy director of the Market and Economic Information Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, said that in the context of the “Internet&rdquo, new farmers are emerging, but their ranks are not yet large and their strength is not yet strong. The cultivation and support of a group of new farmers who understand both the Internet and agriculture should be accelerated, helping them become the main force of the agricultural industry and leading farmers to increase income and become prosperous.