Digitalization of Technological Processes of Crop Production in Russia

Abstract

Currently, the influence of program documents on digital agriculture development is rather great in our country. Within the framework of the European Association of Agricultural Mechanical Engineering, a relevant definition of agriculture 4.0 has been elaborated and introduced.Research purpose: offering general recommendations on the digitalization of agriculture in RussiaMaterials and methods. The authors make use of the normative approach: the core of digital agriculture is compared with the current state of the agricultural sector in Russia.Results and discussion. The analysis has found that digital agriculture (agriculture 4.0 and 5.0) is based on developed mechanized technologies (agriculture 2.0), precision agriculture technologies (agriculture 3.0), the use of such digital technologies and technical means as the Internet of things, artificial intelligence, and robotics. The success of introducing digital agriculture depends on the success of all the three levels of the system. However, the problem of the lack of agricultural machinery indicates insufficient development of mechanized technologies;  poor implementation of precision agriculture technologies means the lack of experience of using these technologies by the majority of farms in our country; an insufficient number of leading Russian IT companies (such as Amazon, Apple, Google, IBM, Intel, Microsoft etc.) weakens the country’s capacity in making a breakthrough in the development of the Internet of things, artificial intelligence, and robotics.Conclusions.The authors have identified the need to form scientific approaches to the digitization of technological operations used in the cultivation of agricultural crops and classified precision agriculture technologies. They have underlined that the digitization of agricultural production in Russia must be carried out along with intensified mechanization (energy saturation); also, to introduce technologies of precision agriculture and digital agriculture, it is necessary to organize state-funded centers for training farmers in the use of these technologies. Finally, it is necessary to take measures to strengthen the development of the IT sphere, as well as formulate an integral approach to the problem of digitalization.