The term ‘precision farming’ constitutes an umbrella for new cultivation and management techniques in crop production which more intensively making use of site and crop data. The new technologies facilitate a more site-specific crop production and, thereby, help increase resource efficiency.
This publication reports on the results of focus groups dealing with precision farming. In several discussions with different types of consumers the requirements as to the agricultural production process and the quality of food as well as to information flows along the value chain were explored. The exploration was based on key criteria such as food safety, transparency, and sustainability. Although precision farming was hardly known among the participating consumers, the discussions revealed – once the new technology had been introduced – that they are fairly open-minded. From consumers’ point of view precision farming may, above all, increase transparency and may also enhance food safety. Its possible contribution to environmental protection is regarded a bit smaller.