pre agro II, Sub Project (SP) 20

Project partner: KTBL, Darmstadt (Dr. Ulrike Klöble, Joachim Hüter)

SP Title: Specific steps for an effective transfer and training for precision farming

SP Short title: Transfer and education

SP Goals: The subproject 20 has the goal to promote the introduction of Precision Farming into agricultural practice. Additionally the subproject develops transfer concepts and learning materials and tests them at selected target groups.

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Position of the SP in the group: The subproject 20 is a cross sectional project, i.e. results of the other subprojects are to be prepared and included for the transfer into the practice and to the conception of training programmes.

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Short description of the project

The work on the project starts with a situation analysis. In surveys it is to be determined to what extent Precision Farming is already represented in agricultural education and further training. In co-operation with the other subprojects and by experiences in practical agriculture it is to be determined then, which application technologies of Precision Farming are already in use. On this basis, target-group-specific concepts are developed and tested for education and further training concerning site specific crop production. These concepts address themselves to students, farm managers, technical advisers, consultants, agricultural service providers and others. A substantial element is thereby, in order to pass on the know-how of Precision Farming to different target groups, the production of teaching materials.

Co-operation with different educational facilities is of great importance for the success of this project. Therefore a large interest in communication and co-operation with farmers, teachers, technical advisers as well as all, for whom Precision Farming Technology already is a part of their daily work, exists. This applies above all to educational measures and further training with reference to Precision Farming. Important for the work on the project in particular are experiences with educational measures for the introduction of site specific crop production into practice. Especially information, how, at whom and with which didactical means on the individual education stages the topic Precision Farming is passed on, is needed.

Status quo

Different investigations mark the beginning of the project work. At first addresses from institutions and contact people are to be determined to answer the question, how Precision Farming is represented in education and further training today. Additionally a literature research in technical periodicals and the farm press is performed. This should make it possible to identify techniques relevant in site specific crop production. Finally, also exemplary teaching materials, which are representing the topic descriptively und understandable, are collected.

The surveys among contact people in education, further training and the agricultural engineering industry have already begun and should be finished in May of this year. To support these surveys a flyer, which describes the goals and requests of the subproject briefly, was produced. A situation analysis will terminate this first project phase.

Substantial questions

The first task is to clarify, which information deficits exist concerning Precision Farming. Then steps for an effective transfer of this innovative technology into agricultural practice are to be specified. In addition some learning modules, which represent practically relevant application technologies of Precision Farming for different target groups, are developed and tested. Thus existing lack of knowledge should be diminished and the acceptance of the site specific plant production increased.

Date: 06.04.2005