Farmer-centric design thinking principles for smart farming technologies

Abstract

Agricultural participants are apprehensive as the farming landscape transforms with the Internet of Things technology. Farming involves significant risk, and the addition of technology can positively or negatively impact overall operations. This paper presents the concerns of farmers by reflecting on 32 farmer interviews and the existing literature. We have categorized these concerns as technical proficiency, need for simplicity, mistrust, reliability, psychological barriers, and value-driven issues. This paper provides a holistic examination of farmers' concerns, and recommendations that combines human perspective, policies and processes, and technology. Our recommendations address these concerns by discussing cyber security, privacy and confidentiality, interoperability, user-centricity, policies and the public sector, and new business models. This work contributes to the ideation of new requirements for IoT technologies and policy in smart farming.