Devroll Legodi, a farmer with her feet firmly on the ground and her vision in the sky, believes drones can play a crucial role in agriculture.
The Bronkhorstspruit vegetable farmer says drones equipped with high-resolution cameras and sensors can map entire farms, monitor crop health, detect pests or diseases early and even assess soil conditions. “This helps farmers make better decisions on where to irrigate, fertilise, or treat crops, saving time, inputs and money,” says Legodi.
Raphael Smith, MD of software and electronics engineering company BMEC Technologies, also believes tech solutions can add value to farming operations.
Instead of solving distant scientific challenges, his company aims to improve the poor experience many farmers have with technology. Smith says the firm has gained insights through years of engagement with farmers.
“When technology innovators manage to prove the benefits of their offerings over several seasons with tangible evidence, it is going to result in a rapid uptake of these technologies — provided they are available as add-ons to existing equipment and operations so that change management can occur gradually and the risk of failure is mitigated,” says Smith.
As a tech-savvy farmer, Legodi is optimistic about the technological transformation taking shape in local agriculture. Farming has always been a traditional practice, rooted in age-old methods — ox or tractor and plough — and reliant on the seasons. But she says those methods can be easily integrated with technological innovations.
“Technology must help reduce resource waste, streamline labour and increase productivity on the farm,” she says. “Imagine smart irrigation systems that conserve water, sensors that monitor soil health, and affordable automation tools that reduce manual labour without replacing the farmer’s touch.”
This helps farmers make better decisions on where to irrigate, fertilise, or treat crops, saving time, inputs and money
— Devroll Legodi
The sector is proving to be fertile ground for inventions, though agriculture is still largely manual, often relying on basic tools, says Prof Moses Cho, chief researcher at the Council for Scientific & Industrial Research. However, these can be adapted for automation, depending on the scale of the farm.
In a traditional setting, he says, machetes are used to harvest crops, and fresh produce is transported by women carrying it on their heads.
“Markets have generally been localised, limiting access to broader or cross-border trade,” says Cho. “The technologies that can bridge this gap are those that improve transportation logistics and those that enable broader access to markets, including through digital platforms.”
It’s not just in planting and harvesting — costs are a huge factor. Legodi sought out financing options to build the technical infrastructure she needed to run her operation.
Such tools exist, though most farmers feel they are too expensive. She says farmers need financial models that take economic realities into account in real time, to provide them with tailored services.
And technology can plug those gaps.
“Off the farm, technology should simplify access to markets, with easy-to-use financial services and real-time information services,” says Legodi.
“Mobile training platforms and virtual extension services can offer continuous learning and knowledge sharing at little to no cost. Overall, technology must be practical, scalable and tailored to the real challenges farmers face daily.”
Cho says technological innovations come from companies that have hands-on engagements with farmers. As farming operations become more integrated through data collection points, the internet can lead the way.
After years of working with farmers, Smith says the climate is ready for resources to be directed towards satellite-based connectivity.
“The technological innovations available on site are significantly hampered by the need to function offline or with limited, unstable or delayed connectivity,” he says.
He says what’s needed is a globally accessible, reliable, fast network service capable of delivering data with minimal delay, while being flexible enough to work across multiple carriers and technologies. This type of connectivity supports demanding modern applications requiring speed and responsiveness without being tied to any single network provider or infrastructure.
Smith believes such connectivity will unlock a new wave of innovation that will improve on-site operations for farmers. It has the potential to kick-start advancements such as autonomous vehicles, digital twins and AI analysis and insights.
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