Certain aspects of efficiency of crop production digitalization in the Republic of Belarus

Abstract

Digitalization, or digital transformation, is an innovative approach to solving the key task of agricultural production in the Republic of Belarus – increasing / maintaining the profitability of crop production. Digitalization makes it possible to bring crop production to a new level of development, providing a fundamental restructuring of the decision-making and implementation of agro-technological operations, reducing risks and expanding possibilities of sustainable and efficient crop production. Efficiency of digitalization of crop production is considered in relation to certain aspects of an average agricultural organization in the Republic of Belarus. The following main interrelated areas of digitalization in crop production have been identified: soil-and-agrochemical analysis, precision arable farming, prediction of the diseases and pests of crops. Due to significant growth of energy prices nowadays (basic elements in the formation of the final cost of crop production), efficiency of digitalization was assessed not directly in terms of value, but in reducing the costs of growing products and in saved crops. The greatest effect, according to the results of the assessment, is expected from such areas of digitalization as soiland-agrochemical analysis, as well as prediction of the diseases and pests of agricultural crops. The results of soil-and-agrochemical analysis can be used to improve the soil fertility – a vital condition for long-term increase of crop yields. Prediction of the diseases and pests of crops is one of the main elements of comprehensive protection of crops – a large reserve for increasing crop production. At the same time, despite the positive aspect of digitalization in agricultural branch of the Republic of Belarus, it is rather a labor-intensive process together with the high cost of necessary equipment and software, as well as the use complexity.