Fuente: Sustainability - Revista científica (MDPI) Sustainability, Vol. 18, Pages 3342: Regional Differentiation of Precision Agriculture in Poland—Economic Aspects and Limitations of Its Development
Sustainability doi: 10.3390/su18073342
Authors:
Elżbieta Jadwiga Szymańska
Andrzej Krasnodębski
Aleksandra Bilik

Modern agriculture must combine profitability with environmental protection and food safety by using advanced knowledge and continuously introducing new technologies. The study aimed to evaluate the diversification of precision farming in Poland and identify limitations to its development. The study used literature reviews and two secondary data sources: the Local Database of the Central Statistical Office (GUS) regarding the share of farms using precision farming solutions by voivodeship and the nationwide precision farming survey conducted by the Polish Space Industry Foundation. The survey included 432 agricultural producers from across Poland. Data analysis utilized descriptive statistics, comparative analysis, cluster analysis, and a chi-squared (χ2) test. Existing research shows that advanced precision farming technologies in Poland have been implemented only on a limited number of farms. This is due to limited knowledge among agricultural producers, the small scale of production on most farms, and high investment costs. These technologies include equipping farms with sprayers for strip application of plant protection products during sowing or planting, precision irrigation or weed control, variable-dose fertilizers or plant protection products, and soil sampling for analysis. The use of precision farming technologies varies regionally. They are primarily used on large farms located in western and northern Poland. The study’s results may be helpful to decision-makers in agricultural policy and to agricultural producers.