- Akdeniz University Faculty of Agriculture Faculty Member Prof. Dr. Topakcı: - “Automatic steering system, imaging and spraying with unmanned aerial vehicles are technologies that have found a response in this sense in our country. Farmers save labor, time and costs. Profitability can be said to have increased significantly.”

- Akdeniz University Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Machinery and Technologies Engineering Prof. Dr. Mehmet Topakcı stated that smart agricultural technologies improve productivity and reduce costs.

Topakcı, who came to Tekirdağ for the workshop on “Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Plant Protection Applications in Türkiye and Challenges” hosted by Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Biosystem Engineering, told AA correspondent that smart agricultural technologies provide advantages to producers.

Explaining that there is a shrinkage in agricultural areas with the increasing population in the world, Topakcı said “There is a need to use smart agricultural technologies here in order to make more effective and efficient agricultural production in existing agricultural areas.”

Topakcı expressed that the world population is projected to be 11 billion in 2050.

Topakcı stated that producers face various yield losses due to climate change.

Stating that producers in Türkiye closely follow smart agricultural technologies, Topakcı added “With these technologies, we have the opportunity to process more agricultural production areas with less human labor. Many innovations have emerged in the world with the adaptation of digital technologies to agricultural machinery. Automatic steering system, imaging and spraying with unmanned aerial vehicles are technologies that have found a response in our country in this sense. Farmers save labor, time and cost. We can say that profitability has increased considerably.”

- “Traditional production habits should be abandoned”

Topakcı said that producers are becoming more familiar with smart agricultural technologies that save yield, time and fuel.

Pointing out that the traditional production habit should be abandoned, Topakcı remarked

“In traditional production, we think that every part of the land is homogeneous. We apply the same chemical and fertilizer everywhere at a certain dose, but with smart agricultural technologies and variable rate technologies, we actually use the inputs more regulated, as we spray as necessary for each specific spot. We also save money in fertilization by fertilizing at variable rates.”

Source: Anadolu Agency