Poor Internet connectivity is stifling growth and productivity on Britain’s farms, according to a nationwide survey commissioned by CityFibre.
The Censuswide study found that unreliable broadband is holding back the adoption of new technology, including AI and real-time monitoring capabilities.
The report also revealed that although almost two-thirds of farmers surveyed (60 per cent) believe that Internet connectivity is critical for day-to-day farming activities and almost one in 10 farms (8 per cent) have no Internet connectivity at all.
Against a backdrop of stubbornly low economic growth and the rapid rise in smart technology, the wide-ranging survey raises concerns that UK farms are being held back due to poor Internet connectivity. Despite almost 60 per cent of farmers expecting their use of technology to increase over the next five years, issues around reliability and speed of Internet connection were cited as the second biggest barrier (42 per cent) to their use of new farming technologies, after purchasing cost (50 per cent).
For those who already have access to full fibre broadband, almost half (47 per cent) said the main benefit was the use of precision farming technologies that were previously unavailable to them, with greater efficiency in day-to-day operations (37 per cent), diversification of farmland (33 per cent) and greater access to administration tools (32 per cent) also cited as key benefits.
However, the risks associated with poor Internet connectivity go well beyond day-to-day operations, with farmers’ mental health and family life also impacted. The survey highlights the impact of social isolation among rural communities, with farmers feeling that they miss out on local community matters as a result of broadband issues. Meanwhile, nine in 10 farmers admit to avoiding using the Internet during busy times of the day, causing disruption to daily schedules, especially among family members who rely on the Internet for other tasks, including education and hobbies.
The findings of the survey reinforce the importance of accelerating the rollout of full fibre Internet in rural areas through government initiatives such as Project Gigabit, which is delivering fast, reliable broadband to mostly rural communities which would otherwise be left behind. CityFibre has been awarded nine Project Gigabit contracts, totalling more than £865 million in government subsidies to serve more than 500,000 hard-to-reach homes and businesses. Alongside co-investment from CityFibre, the awards have resulted in almost £1.2 billion being invested in combined public and private investment in rural broadband.
Greg Mesch, CEO, CityFibre, said, “Farmers need access to the cream of the crop when it comes to connectivity, if we are going to reap the full economic and technological benefits of Britain’s farms.
“Government initiatives such as Project Gigabit are helping to bring faster internet access to rural and harder-to-reach communities and we know the difference that full fibre makes, which is why our teams are hard at work, laying miles of cable and climbing countless telegraph poles to bring faster, better broadband to millions of people.”
Mark Ullyott, a mixed arable and bed and breakfast pig farmer from Middleton-on-the-Wolds, East Riding of Yorkshire, said, “Strong Internet connectivity is essential for modern-day farming – not just optional. In a world that is reliant on so many online services, it is vital to complete simple mandatory tasks that many of us take for granted, such as using basic portals.
“We are also seeing a surge in cutting-edge technology being introduced across the industry, and farmers who are unable to access reliable broadband risk being left behind. Ideally we would have more options available to us, including full fibre, but at the moment, satellite internet is our only option. We simply wouldn’t be able to run the business without it.”
Rachel Hallos, NFU vice president, said, “To confidently produce more home-grown food we need to be as efficient and productive as possible. Reliable Internet and mobile access are key to achieving this. Lack of connectivity not only impacts the day-to-day operations of rural businesses but also the safety of our workforce. Leaving a farmer with no way of communicating in a crisis is dangerous, and this lack of access is preventing UK farmers and growers from doing what they do best – running successful and profitable food producing businesses.
“Better Internet access can unlock greater productivity, growth and investment into the rural economy, especially at a time when businesses are being required to meet more of their legal and regulatory obligations online.”