Closing Digital Gap on RFID Usage for Better Farm Management

Abstract

In a developed country, farmers have an access to advance technology for radio frequency identification (RFID) farm management. Recently, RFID has become a globally recognized technology for animal identification to simplify farm activities such as automatic feeding. In a developing country, Thailand, RFID is a cutting edge technology unknown to most farmers. Uneducated farm labors are often afraid of being replaced with technology while farm owners lack of interest in technology because of cheap labor cost (5 US dollars per day for the minimum wage). RFID plays an important role in widening the digital gap in farm management because RFID investing pioneers will get the highest return and widen the gap much greater from an access to technology and information. The integration of greater information availability reduces feed waste and labor cost, improves animal health, and ease of animal management. Research survey by NECTEC in 2005 indicates that low RFID usage in Thailand is based primarily on four factors: RFID cost, standard, technology suitability, and lack of knowledge. Comparing RFID investment with benefits and returns on broiler farms, this paper aims to analyze ways to close the digital gap and provide levels of RFID usage for better farm management.