– For K-AgriTech and AgroTech startups to enter France, understanding the local ecosystem is a priority –
– The French Smart Farm is targeting French Agricultural Cooperatives –
Kotra Paris Trade Center reviewed the development background and current status of the French smart farm and AgriTech-AgroTech fields through an interview with Robert, the editor-in-chief of Company A, a French agricultural media. In addition, information that can be helpful for domestic companies with ICT-based smart farm technology to enter the French market was investigated.
Q1. Please briefly introduce your newspaper.
A1. Our newspaper, first published in 1948, is an agricultural newspaper. Currently, we are only providing content online. The main readership is mainly those related to the Agricultural Cooperatives or Agricultural Cooperatives. We are both a newspaper and an agency, subscribing to or buying our articles from other media that need our content.
Q2. What are you mainly dealing with?
A2. He specializes in articles on agriculture-related politics, policy, economy, and new technologies in startups.
Q3. When and how did the French first use the word 'smart farm'?
A3. I remember using the term 'smart farm' when drone maker Agrinov first applied drone technology to agriculture about 10 years ago, and the first self-driving cultivators equipped with GPS appeared in the 2000s.
Q4. I would like to know about the current state of the French Smart Farm, national policies, or future projects.
A4. First and foremost is the raising of national finances through the well-known BPifrance Fund. This fund was created by the French Ministry of Economy to financially support startups. And most recently, there is “French AgriTech,” a program jointly launched by the current Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Digital Ministry, which was announced two weeks ago. It will be a brand very similar to the old “French Tech”. I think it is the government's will to further develop the AgriTech field. This means that the field of agricultural technology is emerging as an important topic. At the same time, the detailed investment amount was also announced on August 2th. To mark the aforementioned launch of “French AgriTech”, the current Minister of Agriculture Julien Denormandie and the current Minister of State for Digital Cédric O jointly announced plans to invest approximately 8 million euros in grant funding.
Q5. Which companies will benefit from this grant?
A5. Startup companies that have developed or are currently developing new technologies are the target audience.
Q6. Why does the French government think the development of smart farms or AgriTech is important at this point?
A6. It is often said that agriculture is the future of mankind, but by combining new technology with agriculture, development in various fields can be expected. First of all, it can be expected to develop as a precision tool in agricultural technology. When pesticides and fertilizers are used, they can be used in smart farming by accurately measuring the timing, dosage, and location. Second, the importance of smart farms can be explained not only in France but also in the world as regulations on chemicals, which are a component of pesticides and fertilizers, are getting stricter. Third, there is the problem of 'environmental pollution' of the entire planet by chemicals. Pollution in rural areas caused by nitrates and nitrogen used in fertilizers and other pharmaceuticals is a serious condition. Fourth, robotization. In particular, there may be examples of arborist robots that are still being applied in the United States or Israel rather than France, and this is to replace the declining labor force in rural areas with robots. However, due to the high cost, I understand that it is not currently commercially available. Anyway, from this background, a system called “Digit Ferme (Digit Farm)” was born in France.
Q7. Can you explain in detail about the system called “Digit Ferme (Digit Farm)”?
A7. This system is operated by several agricultural tech research organizations, for example Arvalis. These institutions are usually research institutions, government-funded institutions, or experimental or digital farms. The purpose is to allow farmers to test the skills of startups in the field. It is a system that allows startups to develop technology by reflecting feedback from farmers. In other words, it is the process of being validated for field usability. I think this is a very important process.
Q8. Do you know anything about exchanges between Korea and France? For example, I wonder if there are any projects jointly promoted by the government.
A8. What I can tell you is that in the French agricultural sector, there were mainly exchanges with China and Japan.
(KOTRA Paris Trade Office Comments: The agricultural exchange between Korea and France was initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs of the two countries, and the 2007st Agricultural Cooperation Committee was held in 2011 after the MOU was signed in 1, In 2018, the 2nd Korea-France Agricultural Cooperation Committee was held in France and Korea, respectively, and the two countries have been continuously discussing agricultural-related policies and systems.)
Q9. In what ways can the agricultural environment be improved by incorporating ICT technologies into agriculture? Also, what new technologies are needed in the French smart farm-Agri-AgroTech sector? Or which existing technologies need to be developed further?
A9. The part that needs further development among new smart farm technologies so far is the 'weeding' field. A lot of technology is needed to replace the existing chemical formula. I heard that the technology that manufactures robots that can weed in a mechanical way, rather than the 'chemical weeding method' using herbicides or pesticides, is the most needed. We also need robots to harvest fruits in orchards, etc. All of these technologies are currently experimental.
Another field that needs to be further developed is the Modulator (Complex Environment Control System) field. It is a tool that enables agricultural activities by enabling a kind of 'providing a complex environment optimized for crops' that uses ICT (information and communication technology) and automation to measure the environment, analyze and judge information, control devices, and control the environment. . These devices not only protect the environment and reduce the damage from pollution, but also contribute to the economic aspect of not wasting chemicals by using only the right amount of fertilizers or chemicals, do not need to use more than double the dose without need. In a word, there are advantages to one stone and two birds. We believe that these skills and tools are in demand today and will become more and more needed in the future. However, at this point, the problem is that they are expensive equipment that is still a burden to farmers.
Q10. What has been the biggest change in agriculture recently due to the coronavirus?
A10. The biggest change in the agricultural and food sectors in France due to the corona virus is the 'purchasing pattern' of end consumers. As consumers' awareness of environmental pollution is increasing day by day, they are increasingly showing a willingness to purchase fresh seasonal ingredients grown and produced nearby. Negative views about food materials grown in remote countries such as South America and Asia and imported through transport that pollute the environment have long existed. Consumers prefer to purchase this way because they feel that choosing a system to buy directly from farmers or the Nonghyup has the advantage of being able to purchase seasonal, fresh ingredients at a low price and helping to protect the planet. It seems that this is not just limited to France.
Q11. If you have any advice for startups in the smart farm and AgriTech-AgroTech fields in Korea that are preparing to enter the French market, please give them a word.
A11. First of all, I want to say that you need to understand the sales structure in France. In France, farmers have a system in which farmers cannot directly purchase machinery just because they need it. I don't know if this is the case in Korea, but French farmers are obliged to purchase agricultural machinery and tools through the Agricultural Cooperatives or specialized trading offices. In other words, it has a double purchase structure in which the Nonghyup or purchasing office purchases from the manufacturer and then resells it to the farmers. As such, there are many organizations that usually provide purchasing guides or counseling at the city and county level around the farmers, so contacting the farmers directly is not a good approach. It is also very rare for a farmer to go out to trade directly. In this way, I would like to say that if a Korean startup wants to promote and sell a new technology or new product, they should knock on the door of an agri-food cooperative or purchasing exchange at the city or county level. This is one of the fastest ways to get to the French market.
implication
France is a leading agricultural country in the world. In France, a country with fertile and large land for cultivating various crops, we benchmark why smart farms are developing and how new technologies are being used, and which countries have economic support and what policies. And we need to find out if there are any new regulations. In addition, it is necessary to understand how agricultural machinery sales routes and ecosystems are being made so that startups that are developing ICT-based new technologies, which are the biggest strengths in Korea, can use as a stepping stone to export agricultural equipment, robots and software programs. it is judged that For this, it is necessary to pay attention to current policies and future projects through various media in France, and it is necessary to take a look at export opportunities by establishing PR and sales strategies based on professional and practical knowledge, and targeting based on an accurate purchasing system. something to do.
Source: AGRAPRESSE, KOTRA Paris Trade Center data synthesis