The use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is lower on small farms and among rural dwellers, it was stated at the launch of the National Economic and Social Council's (NESC's) report on digital inclusion on July 1.

Those attending the launch heard from the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC); Age Action; Irish Farmers' Association (IFA); An Cosan and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications about the impact of difficulties engaging with the digital world.

With more businesses, education and daily life moving online, it is key that all groups are able to engage with ICT, the launch heard. However, use of ICT is lower among those who are older, have lower levels of education and lower incomes, as well as those who live in rural areas and are involved in smaller businesses and farms, the report found.

Dr. Anne-Marie McGauran, author of the NESC report 'Digital Inclusion in Ireland: Connectivity, Devices & Skills,' said that digital inclusion has three key dimensions: connection to broadband, access to ICT devices and the skills and confidence to engage with digital technologies.

"The report shows variation in these by region, income, age and education level, and those differences are reinforcing existing inequalities," she said.

International studies, she said, show that there is no guarantee that the severity of digital divides will shrink without concerted policy action.

"In an IFA survey of 768 farmers, 55% said that availability or quality of internet connection was the most important barrier to adopting more technology on their farm. This barrier was highest in Connacht/Ulster at 60%," said Anne-Marie.

Usage of ICT devices was higher on larger farms. 80% of those with over 100ha farms used a laptop or PC, compared to 65% of those with less than a 50ha farm.

In 2019, calf registration was being used by over half of those in the IFA survey, and approximately one-third used the three other most popular technologies: camera monitoring, herd management and remedy recording.

Older farmers and those on small farms were more likely to be uncomfortable using technology in general, Anne-Marie said.

"23% of farmers surveyed by the IFA felt that the cost of purchasing and maintaining or servicing technology was a key barrier to their adoption on Irish farms. 

"Teagasc’s Technology Foresight 2035 identified five new areas of technology that will drive the Irish agri-food sector over the next 20 years. Using this technology will require multi-skilled farmers, who have been educated to use new technologies," Anne-Marie said.

Among those speaking at the launch was Ethan Cleary, IFA's technology and innovation executive.

"Teagasc is working on the FairShare 2020 programme, which will support farm advisors and their organisations to adopt and effectively use digital tools and services," Anne-Marie continued.

"Farmers can access a range of funding supports to digitalise, including local enterprise offices (LEOs); Microfinance Ireland; Enterprise Ireland’s supports for agri-manufacturing and agri-tech development; and the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland Future Growth Loan Scheme."

The NESC report included a number of recommendations to help drive adoption of agri-tech.

"This could be provided by Teagasc or other providers, possibly using a voucher scheme similar to the trading online voucher," Anne-Marie said.

"As agri-tech products rely heavily on the gathering and analysis of farm data, good governance on data ownership is essential to ensure it is used safely, so that farmers can trust this data use, and be more confident in engaging with these products.

"The report also argues for a more comprehensive framework for digital skills progression in general, to help people identify the right courses to meet their needs, and how to progress on from them. This would be of benefit to farmers also," Anne-Marie concluded.