Article Summary:
Farmers utilize more technology in agriculture to help promote better growth to improve their crops and livestock. Innovations have powerfully shaped agriculture through time, from making the plow and other farming equipment, which were game-changing in their time. As a result, humans are now creating more ways to make farming more efficient and optimize food production. In addition, agricultural technology contributes to simplified logistics to quickly assess and create a better environment for their crops. Learn how technological advancements are helping to transform the farming industry!
The agricultural industry is growing and consistently adapting with farm technology.
Many successful farmers like you embrace and acknowledge that technology is essential for their business. However, the agricultural sector faces many challenges that include reduced land areas for farming, climate change, and population growth.
However, with new technology, there are expanded opportunities for agriculture. The solution to these challenges relies on these more contemporary, digital advancements that will help to transform the entire agricultural supply chain.
So, how is technology now shaping the farming industry? Before you break down the different types of technologies available, you should first understand why this technology is essential for farmers.
One of the most significant benefits is that farming has and will continue to become more efficient with food production due to these developments.
Agricultural Technology and its Importance
Technology allows you to focus on and target specified areas instead of applying their fertilizers, water, and chemical pesticides across entire fields.
Technology lets farmers use the smallest amount required and customize individual plants. The newer systems and technology methods can tell much more about farming and production situations than someone viewing it, and at a much faster pace.
In addition, newer robotics and other technologies enable more reliable methods of monitoring and management of resources. As a result, you can gain more control over the production, distribution, processes, and storage of crops and livestock.
Types of Agricultural Technology
Data Collection
Collecting as much data and information as possible regarding crops makes it so that you can quickly assess and monitor environmental factors to predict and understand your plants and livestock.
For example, weather information, historical yield, soil pH, fertilizer, irrigation, and more can be analyzed, forecasted, and addressed when collecting data.
You also can improve their crops and establish more informed decision-making processes.
Logistics have become more simplified, the quality of food is better, and food safety is enhanced since technology lets you evaluate the use of pesticides and ensure that no contaminated foods are distributed.
The more inputs and statistical information collected, the better the outcome.
Agri-Tech Innovation
More farms adopt new technologies and practices to optimize their planting and growing techniques. When you adopt these new practices, you can also evaluate data indicating agricultural results that will help promote more sustainability and profitability.
Some of these benefits include:
- Saving on costs for equipment and management (reducing the use of pesticides, fertilizers, and water);
- Performance monitoring to that improvements can be made every season;
- Increase in food production and crop quality;
- More crop productivity;
- Benefits to workers’ safety;
- Improved environmental, economic, and social performance.
Innovate ideas help to transform the agricultural industry further. For example, advancements like indoor and vertical farming utilize less water and soil and are being invested in, allowing farming to promise a more sustainable future.
Precision Agronomics
Another advancement in farming is the use of artificial intelligence in agriculture. Precision farming, or precision agronomics, uses information technology in various ways that include:
- Remote Sensors
- Soil Sampling by location
- Telematics
- Farm Automation
- Variable Rate Technology
- Robotics/Drones
- Autonomous Vehicles
- GPS guidance
These systems, software, and hardware attribute to help improve the accuracy and control for when you are raising livestock and growing crops. You can take actionable steps with precision agronomics that give them the necessary techniques for planting.
Indoor Vertical Farming
The benefits of indoor vertical farming allow you to drastically increase and improve crop yields without needing to accommodate for changing climates of the seasons. In addition, the amount of space required is minimal since the vertical stacking of growing produce uses very little.
Because of this innovative farming technique, more urban and city areas can utilize this type of growth, so if you live in an area less rural, you can still adapt to technology. There is also less soil and water necessary, with most crops being grown hydroponically (in water) or aeroponically (nutrients and water are sprayed on the plants).
Artificial grow lights are used, and you can easily control all variables surrounding production like light, water, humidity, and temperatures that precisely measure all year round, substantially producing reliable harvests.
Farming Technology for the Future
It is crucial to note that the consensus regarding global agriculture production is that by the year 2050, the levels needed to meet increased food demand will rise by up to 70%. Knowing that millions of people worldwide suffer from hunger, this is a scary revelation. However, the industry is also facing other challenges, including the higher cost of supplies, labour shortages, and consumer preferences in sustainability.
To meet all of the obstacles, there has to be an investment within newer and innovative agricultural technology, as it is more important now than ever before.
In addition, farms and other agricultural operations will need to be run differently and rely on minimal resources for successful production.
These necessities pose the need for technologies that will help you, other farmers, and agricultural companies achieve their goals for a better future.
Until we meet again, Happy Farming with agtech!
- The Dedicated Team of Pasture.io, 2022-02-16