DAS - Digital Agriculture Strategy of Hungary

“Agriculture 4.0” is the summary name for present-day agriculture, data-driven technology and management governance reform. “Agriculture 4.0” is based on large amounts of data generated by technologies and sensors used in precision agriculture. Data processing is supported by artificial intelligence. Decisions are made by automated machines, and robots are expected in the future. In addition to the reform of production, “agriculture 4.0” will also change plant management and the business model of product lines.

Today, digital agricultural solutions have become competitive factors in addition to convenience functions. The protection of the environment plays a key role in the European Union's common agricultural policy, one of the named instruments of which is precision agricultural production.

The aim of Hungary's Digital Agricultural Strategy, prepared within the framework of the Digital Welfare Program, is to contribute to increasing the profitability of agricultural production by collecting and processing information, automating and robotizing technological operations, and making efficient use of available environmental resources.

Efficiency gains consist of several elements:

• At the production level, they increase the efficiency of the use of input materials and natural resources, by increasing yields, increasing quality, reducing by-products and waste.
• Reduce production risks and improve the efficiency of technology and management decisions at the plant level.
• Reduce sales risks at the product path level.

Hungary's Digital Agricultural Strategy has been prepared with the broad cooperation of professional and non-governmental organizations as well as the actors of the digital “ecosystem”.

Data

In order to achieve the goal of Hungary's Digital Agricultural Strategy, it is necessary that precision farming be applied as widely as possible:

• in arable crop production,
• in animal husbandry,
• in horticulture,
• in viticulture,
• in fishing and
• also, in forestry.

The profitability of precision farming is ensured by the data generated during production. To this end, plant-level data collection, the use of plant management applications in farm management and decision-making must be ensured. Production data underpins the operation of product tracking systems.

Collection and processing of sectoral data, access to public data is a direct competitive factor in the international market. The data generated in production and product lines are of strategic importance and represent national value. Therefore, Hungary's Digital Agricultural Strategy focuses on the sector-level data management of the agricultural economy. The aim is to collect and process data, reduce the cost of accessing data and make the necessary changes to the regulatory environment.

Under the Digital Agricultural Overhead Reduction, the administrative and other state-influenced costs of the digital transformation of the agricultural economy will be reduced by significantly reducing the costs of digital accessibility of data produced and collected by public organizations.

People

To achieve these goals, there is a growing demand for a workforce capable of using digital technology in agricultural production and supporting change. The use of robots and automated processes primarily results in the replacement of low-skilled or unskilled labor. Thus, the demand for technicians and machine operators with IT knowledge is expanding to the greatest extent.

The aim of Hungary's Digital Agricultural Strategy is to ensure that those concerned acquire the necessary competencies and knowledge. From dissemination to higher education and make digital agricultural advisory services available to producers.

The strategy includes a detailed action plan to achieve the goals. In the first year of implementation, the establishment of the Digital Agricultural Academy and the design of the digital agricultural advisory system are a priority. In addition to suitable higher education and vocational training institutions, model farms will play a significant role in the demonstration, testing and promotion of digital agricultural technologies. The development of the National Stud Farm and Farm Ltd. in Mezőhegyes as a digital farm model farm, including a test environment suitable for the development and testing of agricultural machines, technologies and solutions, is included as a concrete proposal.

The implementation of the measures of the strategy will directly increase the digitization of the countryside, the spread of digital technology solutions and services in homes, backyard farms, the economy and public life, contributing to the development of the quality of life in rural areas. Digital technology, with the possibility of online sales, is also opening up new income channels in agricultural production and tourism.