A set of technologies used to deliver a digital solution is known as a "tech-stack".
The farmer tech-stack consists of the multiple technologies used to manage a farm.
This includes accounting and financial planning, animal and cropping management, markets and forecasts, sustainability, logistics and transport and biosecurity - ideally, in one place.
Are you steadily accumulating multiple apps and software platforms for every piece of new tech you bring on-farm?
A new water monitor means a new app to download, a new accounting system means another log in.
But not for much longer.
The phrase "integration partners" is becoming more common across agritech developer websites and, as more of these tech developers continue to collaborate, farmers will be the ultimate beneficiaries.
Australian agritech developers are looking at how they can make it easier for their customers - farmers - to use and benefit from their products.
In-home and in-office tech leaders, including Microsoft, Google, Apple, Amazon and Netflix, all roll dozens - if not hundreds - of different technologies (software, data, plug-ins) into the back of their platforms in order to deliver an easy and simple interface for their users.
Imagine the frustration if we couldn't get emails on our phone, or couldn't stream Netflix from a Samsung tablet.
That's what farmers are being asked to do if they want to be the "early adopters" of agritech, tools and software designed to increase on-farm efficiency, sustainability and profitability.
As the Australian agritech industry begins to mature, so do the relationships and systems that have the potential to deliver exponential benefits to farmers.
When speaking to Agronomeye co-founder, Stu Adams, it was clear to me that the methods of how farmers are using technology is front of mind.
He said it was about creating tools for the landowner to do better with their asset - whether that be related to productivity, sustainability or ultimately both at the same time - but always "farmer first".
Two-years ago it was hard to find examples of farm management platforms integrating with hardware (such as water monitors or smart tags).
Now, there are products being launched in tandem from different tech developers, which we saw at Beef Week 2021 with the long-anticipated launch of Ceres Tag and CiboLabs' MyFarmKey - so you can now track your livestock and their feed simultaneously.
At evokeAG we are working with dozens of tech developers that are placing the farmer at the centre of the equation.
Platforms such as Pairtree and Agronomeye are making it easier to integrate different data through sophisticated dashboards and three-dimensional digital "farm twins".
Farm management platforms such as AgriWebb and AgWorld are accumulating "integration partners", and hardware developers such as Ceres Tag, Smart Paddock and Farmbot Monitoring Solutions are able to send data straight through to the farm management platform that a farmer is already using.
It is challenging for agritech developers, a relatively young industry, to be driving the technology integrations while refining their own products and services for farmers.
But with technology being pegged as the key factor in reaching sustainable supply-chains and $100 billion targets, the investment of time and money won't be in vain.
- Pip Grant, evokeAG, which is an agrifood innovation program and event led by AgriFutures Australia, driving collaboration and investment in on-farm solutions and technology across the supply-chain. Tickets are on-sale for evokeAG 2022 Sydney now.
