Mahmoud Abdelsalam Mohamed Abdelnabby <br/><br/>
A FRAMEWORK FOR INTRODUCING THE PRECISION AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGIES IN EGYPT/  Mahmoud Abdelsalam Mohamed Abdelnabby 

 -  2022 
 - 186 p.   ill.   21 cm.  
<br/><br/>Supervisor: <br/>Tarek Khalil, <br/>Mohamed Mamdouh Awny <br/>Mohamed Ezzat 
<br/><br/>Thesis (PH.D)—Nile University, Egypt, 2022 . 
<br/><br/>"Includes bibliographical references" 
<br/><br/>Contents:<br/>ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................................... iii<br/>DECLARATION FOR COPYING ................................................................................................ iv<br/>ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... 1<br/>CHAPTER I - INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 3<br/>1.1 Reasons for selecting agricultural sector ...................................................................................... 3<br/>1.2 Precision agriculture technologies ............................................................................................... 4<br/>1.3 Reasons for introducing Precision Agriculture in Egypt ............................................................. 6<br/>1.4 Potential Precision Agriculture technologies for Egypt ............................................................... 7<br/>1.5 Digital transformation in the agricultural sector .......................................................................... 8<br/>1.6 Dissertation structure .................................................................................................................... 9<br/>CHAPTER II - LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................................... 10<br/>2.1 Definitions ................................................................................................................................. 10<br/>2.1.1. Information and Communication Technologies: ........................................................................ 10<br/>2.1.2. ICT for Agriculture (ICT4Ag) ................................................................................................... 11<br/>2.1.3. Digital technologies: .................................................................................................................. 11<br/>2.1.4. Precision Farming ...................................................................................................................... 12<br/>2.2 Imaging Sensors ......................................................................................................................... 13<br/>2.2.1 Challenges of multi/hyper spectral images in Precision Agriculture Applications ................... 16<br/>2.2.2 Applications of multi-sensor imaging in agricultural machinery ............................................... 18<br/>2.2.3 Satellite based solutions: ............................................................................................................ 20<br/>2.3 Precision farming Cycle and applicability ................................................................................. 21<br/>2.4 The Fourth Industrial Revolution in Agriculture ....................................................................... 27<br/>2.5 Robotics in Precision Agriculture .............................................................................................. 28<br/>2.6 Internet of Things in Precision Agriculture ................................................................................ 32<br/>2.7 Machine Learning in Precision Agriculture ............................................................................... 36<br/>2.8 Applications of Precision Agriculture in Egypt ......................................................................... 42<br/>CHAPTER III - RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ........................................................................ 46<br/>3.1 Problem statement ...................................................................................................................... 46<br/>3.2 The research questions and objectives ....................................................................................... 48<br/>3.3 Significance of the study ............................................................................................................ 50<br/>3.4 Research method: ....................................................................................................................... 50<br/>3.4.1 Collection of Secondary Data .................................................................................................... 52<br/>3.4.2 Collection of Primary Data ........................................................................................................ 53<br/>vi<br/>3.5 Sample composition and Size .................................................................................................... 54<br/>3.6 Participants of the primary data collection ................................................................................. 54<br/>3.7 Data Analysis ............................................................................................................................. 55<br/>3.8 Description of the data collection tools ...................................................................................... 57<br/>3.8.1 Description of the questions used in the Awareness Survey: ..................................................... 57<br/>3.8.2 Description of the questions used in the Focus Group discussions: .......................................... 57<br/>3.8.3 Online questionnaire details: ...................................................................................................... 58<br/>CHAPTER IV - RESULTS AND ANALYSIS ............................................................................. 62<br/>4.1 Results of the awareness survey ................................................................................................. 62<br/>4.2 Results of the Focus Group Discussions .................................................................................... 65<br/>4.3 Results of online questionnaire .................................................................................................. 68<br/>4.3.1 Sample description (Basic information) ..................................................................................... 68<br/>4.3.2 The degree of PA technology application .................................................................................. 76<br/>4.4 Drivers and Obstacles to Expanding the Application of Precision Agriculture Technologies .. 92<br/>4.4.1 Dissemination of precision agriculture technologies in Egypt ................................................... 97<br/>4.5 Study hypothesis research results: .............................................................................................. 99<br/>CHAPTER V - CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND FUTURE RESEARCH .... 102<br/>5.1 Study conclusion: ..................................................................................................................... 102<br/>5.2 Proposed framework for PA dissemination ............................................................................. 106<br/>5.3 Study limitations ...................................................................................................................... 108<br/>5.4 Recommendations .................................................................................................................... 108<br/>5.5 Further research ........................................................................................................................ 110<br/>REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................ 111<br/>APPENDIX I - Online Questionnaire in English ........................................................................ 115<br/>APPENDIX II - Questionnaire in Arabic .................................................................................... 124<br/>APPENDIX III - Publication and survey tools/results ................................................................ 
<br/><br/> Abstract:<br/>The Precision Agriculture (PA) is one of the technological patterns that has been introduced to the<br/>agricultural sectors in many countries in the past 30 years. Many businesses have depended on PA<br/>technologies in their operations, and this has resulted in significant changes in management<br/>decisions through better understanding of the agricultural production requirements. The Precision<br/>Agriculture technologies use several components and are applied in many agricultural subsectors<br/>such as crops, horticulture, forestry, and livestock. The main objective of Precision Agriculture is<br/>to provide accurate data correlating between plants, soil, and weather in a way that saves resources<br/>by being rationally used. This study focuses on the introduction of Precision Agriculture<br/>Technologies in Egypt and addresses the key drivers and obstacles affecting its diffusion. This has<br/>been achieved through conducting an intensive desk research on the previous experience in the<br/>applications of PA technologies worldwide. This includes scientific as well as commercially<br/>provided solutions in the market. Moreover, primary data collection has been conducted to test the<br/>applicability of PA in Egypt and provide recommendations to promote this important technological<br/>pattern and to mitigate the negative effect of its challenges.<br/>There are many PA technologies that have been identified such as use of image sensors and vision<br/>machines in detection of plant pathogens at early stages. Image processing has been also used to<br/>support other PA solutions such as robotics and satellite-based applications which are widely used<br/>in many countries. Furthermore, this study identifies technologies that depend on robotics which<br/>are used for cultivation, weeding, and harvesting crops. In addition, the study highlighted the use<br/>of unmanned tractors using guidance equipment which are supported by satellite technologies as<br/>well as the use of drones in agriculture. Moreover, other technologies have been identified in this<br/>study such as Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) which are used in improving<br/>the prediction models of computer programs that are supporting the decisions of the farmers.<br/>Finally, the study highlighted the current PA technologies applied in Egypt and potential solutions<br/>that might be demanded in the future based on sector needs.<br/>The agriculture sector in Egypt is affected by several factors such as the increase in the prices of<br/>agrochemicals and other agricultural inputs. This reduces farmers’ profits and causes financial<br/>losses. In addition, the agriculture sector is suffering from lack of agricultural extension and<br/>2<br/>advisory services which limit farmers’ adoption of the modern agricultural technologies.<br/>Moreover, limited availability of skilled professionals in the field of precision agriculture<br/>negatively affects their diffusion among companies as well as research community. Precision<br/>irrigation is not yet endorsed by the Government of Egypt (GOE) however, it has a potential role<br/>that can develop the agricultural sector.<br/>Precision Agriculture Technologies (PAT) have been identified and used in many other countries<br/>either for research purposes or commercially. Most of the addressed challenges and obstacles<br/>affecting the agriculture sector in Egypt could be eliminated by the adoption of PAT. The data<br/>analytics can support decision makers either for governmental entities or for private businesses<br/>which will lead to decrease agrochemicals usage, pollutions, and production costs.<br/>This study helps in understanding the PA concepts and its applicability in Egypt through<br/>introducing a framework for PA successful implementation. This has included identification of the<br/>current technologies used in the country, potential technologies to be adopted and sector needs that<br/>can be fulfilled through PA. The study depended on primary data sources that included surveys,<br/>questionnaires, and group discussions. A sample of 271 expert respondents was reached by the<br/>different research tools (surveys, focus group discussions, and questionnaires). The research<br/>methods were designed based on a research matrix that included research questions and associated<br/>variables to understand the status of PA technologies in Egypt.<br/>The results of this study confirmed that PA can solve some of the agricultural sector problems. PA<br/>can be applied in Egypt through enhancing its drivers and eliminating the diffusion obstacles. In<br/>addition, the study proposed a roadmap for disseminating PA technologies in Egypt which can be<br/>achieved through building capacities of PA for professionals and businesses. The study also<br/>highlighted the correlations between variables that helped in conceptualizing the conclusions of<br/>this research work. The conclusions emphasized on the role of professionals, institutions and other<br/>stakeholders in the diffusion of PA in Egypt and priorities for technological categories to be<br/>introduced.<br/>Finally, the research in the field of PA requires further intensive studies and efforts that shall help<br/>in measuring interrelations between variables and increase the applications of PA in Egypt. This<br/>can be achieved through integration between research centers, academia with private sector to<br/>share results and assist farmers to overcome climate change problems and make them more<br/>dependent on analytics rather than intuitions and experience. 
<br/><br/><br/>Text in English, abstracts in English. 
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Topical Terms: </label><br/>MOT
<br/><br/><label>Index Terms--Genre/Form: </label><br/>Dissertation, Academic
<br/><br/><label>Dewey Class. No.: </label>658.4