Information Technology as a Factor of Sustainable Development of Serbian Agriculture

Abstract

Trend of population growth and the need for greater production of health-safe food, on the one hand, and environmental protection on the other hand, affect the change of production technologies in agriculture. Challenges of modern agriculture are reflected in the growth of productivity, but also the long-term sustainability of the agricultural sector. It is indisputable that information technology (IT) has a direct impact on the productivity of agriculture, and as the ultimate goal leads to the growth of the profit of agricultural producers. Precise agriculture, the application of state-of-the-art technical systems for satellite guidance and automatic management, as well as the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) lead to yield growth, but also affect the rational use of inputs, which leads to reduction of adverse effects on the environment. Accordingly, the implementation of new technologies in agriculture is an important factor in improving agricultural production, as well as the potential for sustainable development of this sector. The units of observation in this research are Serbia and all countries of the European Union. The aim of this research is to determine the position of Serbia in relation to the countries of the European Union in terms of the dimensions of sustainable development of agriculture, as well as to consider the current level of application of information technologies in the agriculture of these countries. The paper analyzes a set of indicators of economic, ecological and social sustainability and their connection with the implementation of information technologies in agriculture. The results of the research indicate that the current application of information technologies in Serbia's agriculture, compared to EU countries, is modest, primarily due to the unfavorable educational structure of agricultural producers, as well as limited financial resources, which significantly impedes the process of IT implementation.