INTHEBLACK May 2026 - Magazine - Page 25
Automatic mechanical
arms harvesting vegetables
on a smart farm in
Bangkok, Thailand.
Globally, Rahamim says, Australia
and California in the US are hubs for
crop innovation. This is driven in part by
size and necessity — by labour shortages,
wage costs, and stringent quality and
compliance standards.
Vichitlekarn says farmers across South-East
Asia who are operating at a much smaller
scale, often on family plots, face different
challenges. Individual adoption of advanced
technologies is likely economically unfeasible
for many without cooperative structures.
A collective model that involves the pooling
of resources, coordinated irrigation schedules
and the sharing of infrastructure, he says,
could offer a blueprint for inclusive digital
transformation in emerging markets.
COLLABORATION IS NEEDED
None of this happens without the right
skills and the right people.
Watt notes that even in this age of
advanced technology, agriculture still
struggles with perception challenges.
“We are trying to grow student numbers
at SuniTAFE,” she says. “But what we really
need to do is get the message out to students
that a career in farming is completely
different to what it was even a decade ago.”
SuniTAFE teaches data analytics, people
management and GPS technology, among
other topics, to future farm managers.
Viljoen sees skill gaps emerging as
technology and infrastructure intersect.
“Farmers fundamentally understand the
way that their farms operate … Does that
mean that they are across technology?
Maybe not,” he says. “Some might, some
might not, but I do not think one size
fits all.”
The missing piece, Viljoen says,
is collaboration between farmers and
technologists, engineers and accountants,
to ensure solutions are absolutely fit
for purpose.
“Success will come from bringing those
together to have a conversation and really
understand where the pressure points are
and where potential solutions can come
from,” he says.
Kachenko adds that it is important to
note this is not a discussion about the future,
it is all happening right now. The industry
is already utilising robotics and other
autonomous machinery, as well as data
and sensors.
In Vichitlekarn’s three-layered definition,
smart farming and the future of food
succeeds only if it delivers economic viability,
environmental sustainability and social
inclusion. Anything less, he says, is not
“smart” at all. ■
READ
an article on
the future of
sustainability
reporting
LISTEN
to a podcast
episode on how
accountants can
support drought
strategy
intheblack.cpaaustralia.com.au 25
