Computer- Netzwerke : Perspektiven für die Landwirtschaft - Überlegungen zur möglichen zukünftigen Rolle des Internet oder ähnlicher Computernetze für landwirtschaftliche Unternehmer

The Internet is an international and open communication platform with few behavioural restrictions. Technical progress in the field of information- and communication-technology has been extremely dynamic. Also the usage of these technologies took a very dynamic course. In Germany, bigger agricultural enterprises use these technologies more often than small ones. The application of information and communication technology in agricultural enterprises at present is mainly in office work and in specific production activities for the purpose of control and documentation. Consequently the farmers take little advantage of the high potential of these technologies in the area of communication and data exchange. Farmers could for instance build computer-based information and communication networks to improve the actually bad market transparency on farm inputs.