The rapid growth of the global population in the face of global climate crisis requires speed and precision technology can provide. Innovations in agriculture have revealed how technology can assist us to develop better food and farming systems that are sustainable as well as increase the food security of every part of the globe.

What would have been the fate of the vertical farming business if were it not for the advancements in technology like robotics, big data analytics as well as the internet of everything IoT, as well as artificial intelligence? Through Geographic Information Systems (GIS) it is possible to get high-resolution and precise perspectives of the fields in which we farm. By employing smart farming methods we can stop crop losses on a vast scale, reduce harvest times, and manage the resources of our farms using precision (no joke intended).

13 Innovations in Agriculture

Since the development of ploughs, to milking machines, technological advancements have contributed significantly to the development of agriculture. Here are a few of the latest developments in technology for agriculture that are expected to impact the world of agriculture by the year 2023, and even beyond.

Agricultural Automation 

Automation is already an integral aspect of farming however, it is expected to become even more crucial in the near future. Farmers already utilize drones to keep track of their crops. The latest sensors will tell them precisely when they must fertilize or water their fields. These drones are also able to assess soil health and ensure that crops don’t get affected by extreme weather or other environmental conditions.

The increase in automation will let farmers focus on other aspects of their businesses rather than manual tasks such as watering, planting, and harvesting.

Blockchain

Blockchain technology is utilized in the field of agriculture to track information about plants from the fields until the shelves. Utilizing an uncentralized data base, the technology can help ensure the food’s quality as well as its shelf time. The auditable database permits producers and marketers to keep track of production of farm products across all stages of the production chain.

Recently, Hyperledger, an open-source blockchain framework, was adopted by Walmart to assist the retailer identify unhealthy food items in real-time before it is delivered to consumers. Furthermore, to encourage organic farming and to improve the transparency of its agricultural distribution chain India is the largest producer of vegetables and fruits plans to implement blockchain technology in all of it’s Agri exports.

IoT in Agriculture

IoT can be utilized for smart agriculture as an tool to monitor the field from any location. It uses sensors to monitor the soil’s moisture, health of the crop temperatures, livestock health, conditions for the animals and temperature, among other things.

IoT technologies allow to design automated irrigation structures that ensure water resources are efficiently managed. Through the collection of data about crops like temperature and moisture, IoT technologies can help determine the appropriate amount of water needed for the crops each season.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Agriculture

GIS in agriculture is based on technologies like drones and satellites that can understand the location of crops, their types and positions of fertilization soil status, fertilization level and other information. Based on data gathered from GIS remote sensors along with software are able to identify the most suitable location to plant crops in the field, and make educated decisions about how to improve the soil’s nutrition.

In the livestock industry, GIS software monitors the movements of livestock. This can aid farmers in tracking livestock’s health, fertility, or nutritional needs.

AI/ML & Data Science in Agriculture Technology

Forecasting for agricultural activities is easy by farmers using AI/ML and Data Science technology. The application for 3D laser scanning and spectral image/spectral analysis, for instance helps farmers to predict weather conditions and maximize the utilization of resources for fertilization, irrigation and pest control.

With the help of AI/ML and data science technologies, farmers can look over their fields to find the most suitable places to plant seeds. They can make use of computer vision to determine the optimal size, width, and height spacing. The information can be used to enhance their growing strategies.

Regenerative Agriculture

The World Economic Forum describes regenerative agriculture as a path to reduce the carbon footprint of our food system and ensure that farming is resistant to climate change. This innovative farming method is by implementing five fundamental principles.

• Enhance biodiversity by integrating of plants and animals
• Increase soil’s health and well-being by using every option to reduce soil disturbance
• Keep the soil in good condition by keeping the soil’s surface completely covered.
• Make sure you cultivate diversity in your crops by growing varieties of different crops on the same farm
• Keep living roots alive by planting perennial crops, or cover crops

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA)

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is a method for growing plants within a controlled environment. It’s also referred to as vertical agriculture’ also known as indoor agriculture. In this kind of farming, all plants’ needs are met artificially giving them water, nutrients, as well as lighting using aquaponic, hydroponic and aeroponic methods.

CEA has been proven to decrease some of the problems that are encountered in traditional farming. It, for instance, greatly reduces water use based on the farming setup. Actually, some vertical farms require 70 to 95 percent less water than the amount normally required for traditional outdoor farms.

In addition to maximizing use of water, CEA protects plants from extreme weather conditions and helps make the most of the space to cultivate.

Agricultural Robotics

The 2022 worldwide market for agricultural robotics was approximately five billion. The requirement to meet the growing demand for food in the world is one of the primary factors driving the widespread deployment and use of agricultural robotics.

A variety of farming tasks that are performed by humans could now be performed through agricultural robots (agribots) increasing the efficiency of farming and saving massive resources. Nowadays, agribots are employed in the seeding process and harvesting crops, weeding as well as sorting and packaging management of livestock, etc.

Drones

Drones, also known as drones, are becoming more and more beneficial in livestock and crop management. For instance, farmers could make use of drones equipped with sensors to track the growth of their plants detect stress from disease monitor temperature in the field and then spray fertilizers or pesticides in the desired areas of the field.

In the field of animal husbandry drones are utilized to survey grasslands and follow animal movements on large ranches. Certain drones come with thermal imaging cameras that can detect sick animals that have high body temperatures.

The benefits inherent to drones and the growth of drones in farm operations lies in their ability to assist farmers in acquiring extensive data in order to make rapid decisions.

Precision Agriculture

The growth in world’s population has resulted in an increase in food production per person. But, it has also caused water shortages as a result of irrigation reasons. To tackle these issues farmers are shifting to precision agriculture, as it can help them save time and money.

Precision agriculture is an rapidly developing farm management system that makes use of sensors, AI, GIS, and IoT to gather and analyze data on the soil as well as animals and plants. This allows for a more precise application of inputs like fertilizer, water, plant nutrients and pesticides, seeds and labour. Precision agriculture differs from traditional agricultural practices. It is the same method of operation is used across a vast area, regardless of soil type or topography variation.

Agricultural Biotechnology

There is a increasing concern over the health risks of biotechnology applied to agriculture using genetic engineering to enhance the health of plants or animals will be an option in modern farming. Why? The reason this technique is so appealing is in its potential to boost production and enhance the global food security. Furthermore genetically altered organisms have been shown to be to be safe for human health.

The biggest issue that can render GMOs dangerous for consumption is the failure of farmers to adhere to the regulations when using agricultural biotechnology. In other words, agricultural biotechnology could enhance the quality of food products and aid in the development of more climate-resistant crop varieties.

Big Data & Analytics

The farm is now an information factory, with sensors and other equipment that are collecting thousands of data points regarding everything from soil health to crop yields and humidity. Big data and analytics can assist farmers in deciding the best time to start planting and when they should harvest and what amount of fertilizer or water to use, as well as the quantity of seed they should plant.

Farming operations are susceptible to environmental and weather changes that are hard to monitor, particularly for farms with large areas. Analytics and big data in agriculture helps farmers to predict the patterns of rainfall or water cycles.

Connectivity Technologies

In our information-driven society farming should be based on a data-drivenand a data-driven method. Farmers must be in a position to communicate with one with vendors, each other and their customers in order to increase the amount of food produced. This can be accomplished by using connectivity technology.

Technologies for connectivity, like satellite technology, mobile devices and platforms that are based on the internet, let farmers share information to make better choices about the way they cultivate and raise livestock. These technologies also allow farmers to contact prospective buyers or directly to customers.

Conclusion

We hear it repeatedly that the population of the world is increasing and expanding at an alarming rate. This is why the latest technologies in agriculture are vital to ensure the continued existence of the species.

In the coming decade in the coming decade, researchers and farmers, and governments of all countries will be focusing on implementing innovations and developing new technologies to increase the productivity of global crops and support smallholder farmers and lessen the impact on the environment of agriculture.