Automation of Production Processes in Agricultural Enterprises: Main Technologies

Modern agriculture faces major global challenges, especially in Ukraine, including climate change, resource depletion, labor shortages, and the consequences of war. In this context, automation – through technologies like IoT, AI, robotics, and precision farming – has become a strategic necessity to optimize production, improve efficiency, and reduce costs. This article aims to analyze the current state and prospects of production process automation in agricultural enterprises, identify key technologies, benefits, and challenges, with a focus on Ukraine’s specific context. The study uses general scientific methods: abstraction to justify the importance of automation; comparison, analysis, and synthesis to identify technologies and trends; and logical generalization to propose implementation measures. Key technologies reviewed include IoT and sensors, AI and data analytics, robotics and autonomous systems (e.g., drones, agrobots), and precision farming tools. The article examines their application across the agricultural chain – from crop production to livestock and post-harvest processing. It highlights quantitative and strategic benefits such as increased productivity, resource optimization, cost savings, improved product quality, and reduced labor dependency. Challenges include high initial costs, technical complexity, infrastructure needs, lack of skilled workers, and war-related issues specific to Ukraine. The article also presents examples of successful automation in Ukrainian agriculture and assesses the economic feasibility and return on investment. Future research should focus on developing adaptive automation strategies for Ukrainian farms of various sizes, taking into account economic and security realities. Another key area is assessing the long-term socio-economic impact of automation on rural employment and human capital. This will inform evidence-based policymaking and justify increased public and private investment in agri-tech. Strengthening digital infrastructure and training programs will be crucial for scaling automation across the sector.