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Opportunities and Challenges for Big Data in Agricultural and Environmental Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Alfons Weersink

    (Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada)

  • Evan Fraser

    (Arrell Food Institute and Department of Geography, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada)

  • David Pannell

    (Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia)

  • Emily Duncan

    (Department of Geography, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada)

  • Sarah Rotz

    (Department of Geography, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada)

Abstract

Agriculture stands on the cusp of a digital revolution, and the same technologies that created the Internet and are transforming medicine are now being applied in our farms and on our fields. Overall, this digital agricultural revolution is being driven by the low cost of collecting data on everything from soil conditions to animal health and crop development along with weather station data and data collected by drones and satellites. The promise of these technologies is more food, produced on less land, with fewer inputs and a smaller environmental footprint. At present, however, barriers to realizing this potential include a lack of ability to aggregate and interpret data in such a way that it results in useful decision support tools for farmers and the need to train farmers in how to use new tools. This article reviews the state of the literature on the promise and barriers to realizing the potential for Big Data to revolutionize agriculture.

Suggested Citation

  • Alfons Weersink & Evan Fraser & David Pannell & Emily Duncan & Sarah Rotz, 2018. "Opportunities and Challenges for Big Data in Agricultural and Environmental Analysis," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 10(1), pages 19-37, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:anr:reseco:v:10:y:2018:p:19-37
    DOI: 10.1146/annurev-resource-100516-053654
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    digital revolution; precision agriculture; economics; policy; Big Data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q15 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Land Ownership and Tenure; Land Reform; Land Use; Irrigation; Agriculture and Environment
    • Q16 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - R&D; Agricultural Technology; Biofuels; Agricultural Extension Services
    • Q55 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Technological Innovation

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