THERE is increasing focus paid on addressing the uptake of agtech onto farms, with it highlighted as one of the key methods to ensure agriculture can continue to feed a growing population.
It is also estimated to bring at least $2.6 billion to the state's agricultural value.
A survey of more than 600 producers, advisers, researchers and suppliers held in recent years highlighted three main barriers to agtech adoption - value proposition, lack of knowledge and understanding, and difficulties with technology deployment.
Keynote speaker at the state-wide AdvanceAg conference Peter Wren-Hilton says it is particularly important to boost the take up of new technologies.
"We need to produce more food with less labour and with impacts of drought and other extreme climate events, there are challenges we need to address," he said.
"There has been a lack of tech adoption by farmers because growers are not at the centre of the innovation process, when they should be."
There have been a series of meetings held across SA between agtech start ups and farmers to discuss some ideas to help solve this gap.
The SA government has also offered grants to encourage its use.
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