Information technology: the global key to precision agriculture and sustainability

The paper reviews developments in technology which are contributing to global improvements in crop and livestock production, in terms of product quality, environmental considerations and the welfare of people and livestock. The means by which we acquire, apply and communicate the requisite information are reviewed under separate headings. These phases are related to the concept of precision agriculture, taken broadly, to apply to both crop and livestock production. The final section deals with current views on future developments. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.