Technology in Agriculture!
Agricultural technology adoption has become increasingly important in addressing the global challenges of feeding a growing population and ensuring sustainable food production. The sector has grown notably, integrating advanced technologies to enhance productivity, efficiency, and environmental sustainability. From precision farming to the development of alternative energy-powered machinery, the industry is experiencing a shift towards more innovative solutions that improve crop yields and reduce the ecological footprint of farming. This evolution reflects the broader need for agricultural practices to adapt to new tools, processes, and energy sources, all while meeting the demands of modern farming.
Kelvin Bennett, Senior Vice President of Engineering, is a visionary leader shaping the future of agriculture. With a strong commitment to innovation, Kelvin leads a global engineering team that consistently develops advanced technologies to improve farming practices. His leadership approach is centered around collaboration and cultivating a culture of creativity within his team. By empowering his engineers and removing obstacles that hinder progress, Kelvin ensures that his team remains at the head of technological advancements, continuously compelling positive outcomes for farmers and the agricultural sector.
AGCO Power, under Kelvin’s leadership, is the strategic energy solution provider for most of AGCO Corporation’s family of innovative products. Known for its world-class engines and energy solutions, AGCO Power is expanding beyond traditional diesel engines to embrace more sustainable and green technologies. The company’s commitment to innovation and sustainability has positioned it as a leader in delivering highly efficient energy solutions that serve the global agricultural market and contribute to the broader goal of reducing environmental impact through the development of electric, hybrid, and alternative fuel engines.
Let’s delve into Kelvin’s innovative advancements in agricultural mechanization:
Passion for Innovating w/in the Agricultural
Growing up on a farm in the central USA, Kelvin always had a passion for mechanization and technology applications within agriculture. AGCO has provided him with numerous opportunities (various roles, global assignments, etc.) with progressively increasing responsibilities throughout his career, which has supported his passion while also preparing him for the position he is in today.
In many regards, he feels that he has the ‘best job in the world’ as he gets to lead a highly creative, passionate global engineering team that develops innovative products, which are ultimately used by farmers to help ‘feed the world.’
Powering World-Class Agricultural Products
In his current position, Kelvin is directly responsible for leading the global engineering team and the AGCO Power (AP) business. The global engineering team handles end-to-end development (i.e., idea creation through first production) of new products and technologies for the core brands (Fendt, Massey Ferguson, and Valtra), which will ultimately be used by farmers in over 170 countries around the world.
AP is AGCO’s selected primary energy provider, powering these world-class products while also selectively selling products (engines, etc.) to other OEMs outside of AGCO. Combined, these innovative new products and engines are one of the main catalysts for AGCO’s business growth and increased competitiveness.
Collaborative Leadership for Team Success
Kelvin feels that he is a highly collaborative and experienced leader who strives to position the teams he is responsible for to maximize success. He views one of his main responsibilities as helping to remove roadblocks, providing intermittent strategic and tactical guidance, and promoting talent and culture to drive favorable results.
Regardless of his individual contributions, whatever success the global engineering and AGCO Power teams achieve is a net result of the highly talented and creative teams worldwide giving 110% every day to serve farmers.
Utilizing New Tools and Processes
He believes that the global rate of change and introduction of new technology, tools, and processes will never be slower than it is today. Additionally, new information and opportunities have also never been more readily available.
Kelvin thinks both the opportunity and challenge for him and his teams is to understand how to utilize and apply these exciting new technologies so that they provide impactful value to both farmers and AGCO.
Expanding Energy Solutions for Agriculture
AP has an impressive 80+ year history of designing and producing some of the best diesel-powered engines used to power agricultural products around the world. While this 80-year history is highly impressive, the next 80 years will be vastly different, which is why the term “wider scope of power” was developed.
The collective belief is that there is a need to widen the scope of energy supply from pure diesel to include engines powered by more green and sustainable alternative fuels, the development of pure electric and hybrid electric solutions, and selective fuel cells. Developing this “wider scope of power” technology that proves to be both useful and affordable to customers is one of the biggest challenges faced within AGCO Power going forward.
Creating a Successful Team Environment
Kelvin strives to create an environment where the global development teams can succeed. Additionally, AGCO provides various training and development programs as well as new work exposure opportunities, which collectively enable employees to continue to professionally grow both their skills and experiences. This investment in people, as well as placing employees in roles where they can make a difference, enables AGCO to competitively attract and retain talent.
Effective Time Management Strategies
He believes maintaining a proper work-life balance is highly important not only to Kelvin but also to his family and AGCO-managed teams and peers. He finds maintaining this equilibrium to be both easier and more complicated than it was approximately ten years ago. It is easier today because the tools available to stay connected (e.g., with family when on business travel or work when out of the office) have never been more accessible and impactful.
Conversely, maintaining proper balance is also progressively more difficult as his responsibilities have increased while lead times for engagement and decisions have decreased. In the end, his view is that maintaining a proper balance is primarily about priorities and time management, which he either controls or highly influences.
Broad Information-Sharing Practices
He strives to stay updated and aware of emerging technology and trends through networking and connections, allocating time for research, as well as broad information sharing. Kelvin feels it is easier to stay abreast of the latest information due to wide accessibility; however, it is also more challenging as the volume of new trends and information has never been more complex and immediate.
Advice for Aspiring Professionals
Kelvin advises aspiring young professionals to expose themselves to a wide variety of responsibilities and roles in areas they are passionate about, provide an acceptable level of challenge, and where individuals can make a difference and learn. He highlights the importance of joining a wide networking group and being affiliated with successful teams and professionals.
Goals for Industry-Leading Engines
AP’s medium- to long-term goals are to continue developing industry-leading engines that serve global customers while concurrently developing a “wider scope of power” of new, higher-sustainable solutions.
Kelvin is highly confident that AP’s impact in the next few years will be even greater than the impressive impact provided over the previous 80 years. He feels AP is uniquely positioned to serve customers through AGCO’s core brands as well as dedicated OEM channels.