Smart farming is an emerging concept that refers to managing farms using new technologies, but it is more than what it seems.
It is not a secret that the world’s population increases every year, and according to the USA, there are approximately 80+ million people added to the globe every year. As a result, this number will rise to 9.8 billion by 2055 and overpopulation might become a real problem.
Certainly, scientists are concerned about the impact on agriculture, economics, communal and social infrastructures, and the challenges that they might represent in the future.
However, this reality can be changed with IoT, smart farming, and its implementation in the agricultural system.
IoT and agriculture
The IoT (Internet of Things) is a well-known new technology that enables manufacturers to monitor their machinery.
Emerging and developing economies such as India, China, Saudi Arabia, and Africa are facing this reality for years: a demand for food that can not be solved with its own production. Meanwhile, farmers struggle to protect their farms from climate changes, extreme weather, and market fluctuations without positive results.
In this way, it is essential to transform the agricultural system in order to feed this population, and this will be possible with next-generation technologies such as:
- AI (Artificial Inteligence)
- ML (Machine Learning)
- Robotics
Implementing these new technologies can significantly reduce waste but also capture data such as:
- Irrigation and precipitation patterns
- Water conservation and moisture levels
- Types of seeds
- Air temperature
- Fertilizer use
- Insecticide and herbicide waste
- Crop care processes
With IoT, farmers can gain visibility into crop yields and also, reduce cost factors.
New agriculture system
The main idea of smart farming is that the agricultural industry can also gain visibility into crop yields as they grow with IoT and its smart devices.
Smart devices with sensors will capture data from all the yield locations, so farmers will understand the main causes of changes in their crop yields and the environmental factors that affect them.
In this day and age farmers are constantly using IoT-driven solutions for their smart farming, so they can speed up their production and get to satisfy the demand.
Precision farming can not be possible without IoT solutions since there are so diverse fluctuations that can cause critical damage at the point of loss.
Precision farming techniques
Smart farming is all about implementing IoT tools that maximize each aspect of the farming operation. For instance, these technology-driven practices are essential to enhance the productivity and increase profitability. Some of these IoT solutions are:
- GPS devices
- IoT lasers
- Satellites
- Automated drones
GPS Devices
Smart farming is all about automatization, so GPS on tractors enables farmers to schedule their crops more efficiently, reducing fuel and travel time. These sensors can collect data about heat, soil, and moisturize levels. Smart devices receive this data.
IoT Lasers
Lasers can level fields so they can be moisturized more efficiently and with less waste. It also predicts pests, so it can be useful for high-level pest control preparation.
Satellites
Satellites can monitor crop health and any pest attack. This also intensifies production and reduces waste.
Automated Drones
In agriculture and smart farming, if farmers can use automatic drones when they need to water their field. This action reduces costs and eliminates danger at high speed. Also, drones can take pictures and videos while they are flying, so they can keep an eye on the plant’s health without moving.
Farm Equipment
The growing population is a global phenomenon that consumes the farm labor force.
As a result, local farmers do not have enough funds to cultivate their lands and the world is left without food. Entire families are in eternal poverty.
Since smart farming is a reality, new businesses and corporations are investing in machinery so that farmers can rent it.
On the other hand, tractor owners need to know whether their machine is working or just idling, so smart devices enables them to monitor their machines.
