An Australian National University study thinks so; it believes space tech could deliver billion-dollar opportunities to super-charge technology adoption for farmers, fishers and foresters during the next five to 10 years.
Commissioned by AgriFutures Australia, the study found found that improvements to geolocation alone could benefit Australian agriculture by $2.2 billion over a 30-year period, and satellite connectivity could add $15.6 billion to gross value of production across agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries each year.
AgriFutures Australia's rural futures senior manager Jennifer Medway said space had traditionally been the realm of sectors like mining and defence, and we were only on the cusp of unlocking opportunities for the rural sector.
“The farmer of the future will have space technology fully integrated into their everyday production systems and decision making. For instance, dashboards will enable farmers to remotely manage manual processes, and interoperable data systems will radically shift the way on-farm decisions are made,” she said.
“All this is made possible through space technology, which has the potential to revolutionise the working day of tomorrow’s farmers.”
The report shares insights into what is happening on a global scale and consolidates the technologies and applications suitable for the Australian context, focusing on three main components that can address challenges in rural industries: remote sensing, connectivity and geolocation, as well as the barriers to adoption.
Ms Medway said the next steps involved rural industries and tech companies collaborating to help each other understand the complexities of the market to maximise space-tech opportunities.
“The space landscape is fast paced. Space companies and tech developers are in our sights and we need further discussions to explore how technology can be applied to solve agricultural challenges.”