6. 6. Debate by Individual Members under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Precision Agriculture

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:50 pm on 23 November 2016.

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Photo of Huw Irranca-Davies Huw Irranca-Davies Labour 3:50, 23 November 2016

Thank you, Chair. Can I say what a good debate this has been? We’ve had seven contributions, including myself, plus, of course, the Cabinet Secretary, and I’ve been struck by the level of consensus on the potential for this technology in Wales and, as Lee Waters, who introduced the debate, says, to use this, as I think his phrase was, ‘western furnace of innovation’. I think he’s right, and Lee reminded us about the benefits that this technology can yield: potential crop yield improvements, environmental, benefits to farmers’ income both in this country and, as Jenny Rathbone also said as well, internationally as well. Where people are on a much more subsistence level of farming, the benefits could be, arguably, even greater. He talked about the innovations at Coleg Sir Gâr and at Gelli Aur farm and at Aberystwyth University—it’s great to pass by, actually, where those trials are taking place in Aberystwyth University on forage grasses—and the innovation that’s already going on and the potential of the application here in Wales.

Andrew R.T. Davies reminded us, in fact, that some of this technology is already routinely in place, and GPS technology is used by many, many farmers nowadays—the use of satellite imagery for precision application of fertilisers. He urged us to rise to the challenge to develop these new growth areas, which was a common theme across many contributors today—indeed, I will give way.