Precision Farming As An Element Of The 4.0 Industry Economy

The study attempts to determine the place of precision farming in Poland, in conditions of the emergence of new megatrends in a globalizing, digital society and the economy entering the industry 4.0 era. The understanding of the concept of megatrends by various authors, their main types, as well as the basic technologies relevant to the 4.0 economy are presented. The concept and scope of precision farming as well as the necessary conditions and benefits of its use are briefly discussed. It was found that at present, the dissemination of solutions of this agriculture in Poland is still limited. This is due, inter alia, to the small share of large-scale farms (especially large agricultural land), which is a condition for obtaining favorable economic effects from using this form of farming. Progressive improvement in the area structure of agricultural enterprises, the growing concentration of production in them and the relatively lower prices of machinery and equipment for precision farming will, however, be conducive to its expansion in scope. The technological knowledge of producers is also improving. Therefore, it can be expected that the importance of this type of farming will increase in the near future.