Roland Hörner

Company

DLG e.V.

Job Title

Head Agricultural Technology

Location

Frankfurt, Germany

What advancement in technology do you foresee in the next 10-20 years?

On the path to more output with a reduced ecological footprint, the pacemakers will increasingly be the tools of Precision Farming (above all sensor technology, navigation, data management, and ISOBUS). Here modern machinery and equipment must be ever more able to combine process data and external information (e.g. via the internet) and suggest an option to the operator. Such improved operating concepts are interesting for experienced machine operators of complex machines (combine harvesters, forage harvesters) too in order to unlock hitherto untapped potentials.

What would you say to policy makers if you had the chance?

They should know that agriculture, like broad sectors of the rest of the economy, needs above all long-term and reliable policy decisions and frameworks. Policy makers should understand in particular that most agricultural production takes place out in the open and so farmers are “by nature” interested in conserving this nature as well as being dependent on it.

What opportunity do you see out there for producers that they need to be paying attention to?

As the world population continues to grow, its increasing demand for food supplies and energy as well as sustainable conservation of our environment are both challenge and opportunity. We must therefore keep our eyes open for (technical) solutions that as far as possible help us to boost production further, to improve efficiency, and at the same time to conserve our natural resources. The tools of Smart Farming (Precision Farming) such as the high-speed development of sensor technology, machine controls and data management are remarkable and allow us to hope for success.

It is important here that the machine operator or farmer remains focused on the farm with all his decisions at the center of all the processes. But thanks to “more intelligent machinery and equipment” he will have more time for essentials, as routine work and procedures are discontinued.