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Searching for practical solutions to keep farmers productive.
Farmers are facing major issues of sustainability. Economically - how to profit in an aggressive global environment. Environmentally - how to be productive in an era of increasingly stringent environmental standards. And socially - how to meet society’s ever increasing standards for crop and livestock production.
While these are challenges, they are also major opportunities. Never before has technology been positioned to play such an integral role in farm profitability. Technology development is moving at breakneck speed, and producers are better educated and more able to incorporate this technology quickly.
If Canadian farmers are going to capture these opportunities, they need to operate at the leading edge in both the development and uptake of this technology. Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development’s (AAFRD) AgTech Centre believes this requires a systems approach to farming that brings crop and livestock production together in concert with broader issues - a holistic thinking that leads to a more profitable approach.
Today the AgTech team of engineers, technologists and support staff work with a broad network of industry partners and farmers to build solutions that work in the real world. The strongest focus is to benefit producers, the anchors of the food production chain.
Emerging issues in agriculture
AgTech Centre is involved in developing technology solutions for these production issues:
- Environmental impacts of agriculture operations.
- Stewardship of resources.
- Special crops and diversification.
- Further production efficiencies.
- New facilities, equipment, technology and their application to production systems.
- Alternative production practices.
- Alternative sources of energy.
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