Agriculture has changed significantly with the advancement of technology. Nowadays, the work of modern farms and enterprises is substantially different from how it was ten years ago. Through technological innovations, including various sensors, software, drones, and other devices, farmers can gain more information about the health of crops, soil, and their needs for fertilizers, irrigation, nutrients, and other essential components. Technology contributes to better decision-making and rational use of resources.
Farmers use a variety of sophisticated technologies such as GPS and robots, and precision farming systems. With a proper approach, these innovations can provide control and increased yields and help significantly save valuable resources, including water and fertilizers. In this piece, you can learn about the importance of technology for agriculture. You can also find out what innovations are transforming the agricultural sector today.
Farm Automation
Farm automation makes farming more efficient. This technology allows you to automate the crop and livestock production cycle fully. Agrotechnology is becoming the subject of interest for an increasing number of farmers and companies developing innovations in robotics. Innovative technologies make it possible to carefully monitor and control all events in the fields and carry out various agricultural activities more accurately. You can learn about other benefits of farm automation here. Harvester robots, unmanned aerial vehicles, automated irrigation systems, and other valuable inventions significantly expand the ability of farmers to increase production. For this reason, the interest in automation is growing, and growers are increasingly adopting them on traditional farms.
Technological advances, including software and drones, are making a significant contribution to and transforming agriculture. Farm automation is mainly aimed at making day-to-day tasks more manageable. The most commonly used technologies are drones, autonomous tractors, automated harvesting, weeding, and seeding systems.
In addition to simplifying day-to-day field activities for farmers, automation technology also contributes to solving broader problems. For example, automation technologies can cover labor shortages in the agricultural sector and help meet the demand for food from the growing population. In addition, the automation of traditional farms essentially helps solve the negative impact of agriculture on the environment.
Precision Agriculture
Technology is advancing agriculture and playing an essential role in commercial farms. Companies are creating precision farming technologies that can significantly increase yields compared to the agriculture of the past. Moreover, thanks to innovations, farmers can control all crop growth parameters throughout the entire growing season. These parameters include soil moisture and health, stress from diseases and pests, as well as microclimate. Technology also improves the ability to predict and detect potential threats to crops so that protective measures can be taken before damage is done. The agricultural planting and growing methods that precision farming provides can increase the efficiency of the farm and reduce costs.
Precision farming companies are growing and discovering new opportunities for themselves. Forecast by Grand View Research, Inc. By 2025, the precision farming market will reach $43.4 billion. A new generation of farmers is partnering with quick and flexible start-ups, as their products can increase yields.
Artificial intelligence
Digital agriculture and the development of related technologies provide new opportunities for data processing. Satellites, sensors, and unmanned aerial vehicles are capable of collecting information throughout the farm for days. It gives farmers a chance to control plant health, temperature, different soil parameters, and much more. At the same time, we receive a considerable amount of data that the sensors collect.
Advanced technologies allow farmers to observe the situation on the ground. Without introducing technological innovations, it would not be easy to control every section of the field. Thus, the decision-making process and other vital processes on the farm occur with higher accuracy and faster.
The algorithms interpret the environmental data collected by the sensors as statistical data. They are understandable to farmers, and they can use them during the decision-making process. Algorithms not only process data but also learn from it and adapt. The prediction of several results depends on how much data and statistical information is collected. The primary purpose of using artificial intelligence technologies is to obtain data to make informed and effective decisions and increase yields later.
Vertical farming
Vertical farming is the practice of growing a variety of crops on vertically set shelves in a controlled environment. This practice can help humankind solve various significant problems, including the limited area of agricultural land and the impact on the environment. The area of land used in vertical farming is significantly less than in traditional farming. The uniqueness of vertical trusses is that some installations of this type do not even require soil. Crops are grown in a particular solution of nutrients and water, and artificial sources are used for lighting instead of the sun.
The main advantages of vertical farming are no need to occupy a piece of agricultural land, a shorter supply chain, and minimized labor costs. In addition, farmers can control absolutely all parameters of cultivation all year round. Vertical farming also reduces energy use and water consumption, up to 70% lower than traditional practices. Robots are used for harvesting, logistics, and planting, significantly reducing labor costs, which the agricultural sector is struggling with today.
Conclusions
Technology in agriculture strives to achieve several goals that are important for the modern world. Technological advances and innovation can increase productivity and increase the profitability of an economy. In addition, many current farming practices and tools, including precision farming, offer opportunities to save resources and reduce environmental impact.
Modern farming technologies allow monitoring and controlling various parameters in the field and the condition of plants. Moreover, farmers can get the forecasts to notice potential crop threats and protect the plants on time.
Previously, this was impossible because you could not see all the processes with the naked eye. However, technology implementation does not solve all problems by itself. Farmers have to understand why they use technologies and what specific goals they want to achieve. Understanding will allow you to choose the right technological solutions for the farm and facilitate many processes.
