Several EU lawmakers from the European Parliament’s agriculture committee expressed their concerns on Wednesday (30 August) about the introduction of new technologies in farming, claiming that it might put smallholders at risk. MEPs discussed a report on precision agriculture conducted by the Scientific and Technological Options Assessment service (STOA), a scientific research service run by the European Parliament.

By using sensors, GPS and other technological advancements, precision or smart farming aims to help farmers make optimal use of agricultural inputs.

These methods allow farmers to focus on every detail of day-to-day farming while better protecting the environment from chemical pollution, saving on overhead costs and simultaneously increasing food security and safety