The Victorian Government has published a list of the types of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and applications it will help farmers purchase through an IoT trial.
This month, the government invited farmers to express interest in taking part in the first round of the trial. It will run multiple rounds over two years and aims to involve 600 horticulture, dairy, sheep and grain farmers.
The government is pitching the trial as a “low-risk” way for farmers to test IoT. It will award grants of up to $30,000 to eligible first round applicants to cover up to two-thirds of the cost of products listed in the trial catalogue.
This month, the government published a summary of the types of devices and applications (but not the actual products) the catalogue will include.
The summary lists four categories:
- Informed agronomy, which includes products for monitoring weather, soil, microclimate, plant growth and plant stress. It also includes tools for analysis and reporting.
- Production environment data, which includes pest and plant disease monitoring tools.
- Farm management, which includes tools for everything from asset tracking to monitoring site security, battery condition, fuel tank levels, grain storage, animals, fences and cold stores.
- Managing water, which includes tools for measuring water flow and monitoring everything from tank levels, water quality, pumps, the level of dams and troughs, water pressure and valves.
The government will also provide participants with IoT connectivity and coordinators who have expertise in farm management and digital technology.
The trial aims to assess the effect of IoT on farm performance, and provide the agriculture sector with a “clear rationale for investment in IoT”.
The deadline for farmers to express interest in taking part in the first round of the trial is August 2, 2019.
