Přehled o publikaci

The aim of this paper is to identify the challenges to Industry 4.0 implementation in agriculture with emphasis on the human factor, which is an issue not sufficiently dealt with in the current literature. Investments in Industry 4.0 technologies and tools enable enterprises to increase labour productivity, to more accurately predict future developments, and allow employees (operators, managers and executives) to make informed day-to-day decisions based on real-time data, facilitating in-house departmental collaboration. Over the period 2019–2020, the authors conducted a survey (semi-structured face-to-face interviews) among almost thirty representatives of agricultural enterprises, advisers and secondary school head teachers. Primary data showed significant agricultural labour shortages, which is one of the reasons why farm managements decide to automate and robotize the production process. In addition to high financial costs, barriers to the digital technologies include concerns about power outages and subsequent data losses. The present survey results also indicate possible impacts on the workforce, the feeling of losing touch with farming practice in particular.