Growing up as a child I took everything for granted. Electricity, telephones, and cars were things that already surrounded me. I was used to them and thought nothing of how they were invented or developed. As I got older I started to think about how people, at the beginning of the last century, adapted to all these new inventions. It must have been a strange learning curve for them. It must have been strange for farmers as well as they replaced the horse with the tractor. This was the birth of our industry. Dealers and distributors of powered equipment emerged and began to appear around the country. Dealers began to replace the horse trader and farrier.
One hundred years later people, once again, are finding themselves overwhelmed by new inventions. The arrival of the internet and mobile phones has changed everyone’s lives, mostly for the good. The machines that we sell have now taken advantage of new technology such as the introduction of GPS assisted equipment and digital controls in farm tractors and equipment. It can be all a bit overwhelming for those who have been used to the old ways of farming for most of their lives.
Facilitating our customers to successfully adapt to this new technology and digitalization is a role that we should play an active part in, especially in areas where digital literacy is lower. It requires the involvement of a number of stakeholders such as manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and repairers.
Upgrading to more efficient forms of mechanisation also requires a lot of investment from the end user. At this time of high inflation, increasing energy and fertiliser costs, it will be a big ask for some to upgrade. Therefore, for them to embrace these technological advancements, they should be made aware of how sustainable, economically viable, environmentally friendly and, above all, affordable to them especially for small-scale operators. Sales reps will need to convince their customers of the savings they will make by investing in modern equipment. They should be told how productivity will improve and how they will make more efficient use of resources by investing in new technology.
For me, the convincing argument for embracing new technology is the potential saving of labour costs. The agricultural sector is experiencing labour shortages at the moment. It is so hard to find people wanting to work in that industry. New machinery that helps reduce labour inputs is a move in the right direction.
Finally, a reminder that there will be two shows taking place this month. The first is the FTMTA Farm Machinery Show, running this Wednesday and Thursday at Punchestown Event Centre in County Kildare. Tickets to the show can be bought online by visiting www.ftmta.ie
The second exhibition taking place this month is GLAS. This takes place on Thursday the 21st of July at The National Basketball Arena Dublin from 9am - 5pm. The theme of this year’s exhibition is ‘Your industry. Your event’. Supported by Bord Bia, GLAS features exhibits from leading suppliers including a sportsturf and machinery section. Pre Registration is required and is free. Visit www.glasireland.ie for more information.
