Food is essential for survival. All of us are part of the food chain, from humans to animals. We will always rely on farmers for food, no matter how technologically advanced we become. So, this is the primary reason why we can all benefit from the collective blessing of our farmers, or even better, equipping them with the new technology in agriculture.
There are a variety of examples of modern technology in different industries, and the results are promising.
Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning (ML), IoT (Internet of Things), and Deep Learning all help humans accomplish their tasks with minimal effort.
The Internet of Things is helping us to build our smart homes. It combines all electronic devices into one place, making it almost seamless to manage their operation.
How Does New Technology in Agriculture work?
Sensors in agriculture are a thing of the past. The problem with the conventional sensor technology approach was that it didn’t provide live data. These sensors stored the data in an attached memory, which was later used.
The introduction of industrial IoT (Industrial Internet of Things) in Agriculture has made modern-day sensors available for use. Furthermore, companies can connect these sensors to the cloud via a satellite/cellular network. This system allows us to get real-time and live data and makes it possible for us to make informed decisions.
IoT has allowed farmers to do many things, such as monitoring water levels in tanks. All this is done in real-time, which improves the efficiency of the entire irrigation process. The tracking of the seed growth is another benefit of new technology in agriculture
Because of this, farmers can now track how much time it takes for a seed to grow fully into a plant and how many resources they use.
Smart agriculture IoT was like a second wave in the Green Revolution. Farmers have seen two benefits from IoT. With the accurate data from IoT, farmers can seamlessly perform the same tasks in less time and increase crop yields.
Applications in Smart Agriculture IoT
Smart farming has become possible thanks to the Internet of Things. You may be asking what smart farming is?
Smart farming is a high-tech, capital-intensive method of growing food efficiently and sustainably. In addition, it can be called the application of ICT in Agriculture.
We are referring to IoT-based smart agriculture, which is a system that monitors the crop field using sensors. These sensors monitor every aspect of crop production, like soil moisture, light, temperature, and so on, and then automate the irrigation system.
This system allows farmers to monitor field conditions from any location. IoT-based farming can be more efficient than conventional farming.
Smart farming is not only modernization of conventional farming methods, but in addition, it also targets other farming methods such as organic farming, family farming (complex spaces or small cultures), preservation of high-quality varieties or special cattle, and so on. It also enhances transparent farming.
Smart farming based on IoT is also beneficial for environmental issues. Farmers can use it to optimize water use and inputs as well as treatment.
Precision Farming
Precision farming refers to anything that allows farmers to raise livestock and grow crops in a controlled and precise manner.
This farming technique relies on the use of Information Technology, which includes sensors, robotics, and automation vehicles. It also uses control systems and automated hardware.
Precision farming has one key feature: generally, manufacturers have access to reliable, low-cost satellites and high-speed internet.
One of the most well-known applications of smart agriculture IoT is precision farming. Many organizations are now leveraging it globally.
Agricultural Drones
In the last few years, new technology in agriculture has advanced significantly and at an even faster rate. This is evident in the development of agricultural drones. Farmers can improve multiple farming practices by using drones in the agricultural sector.
Both ground-based and aerial drones can assess crop health, monitor crop growth, spray pesticides, plants, and analyze the field. These drones can capture multispectral and thermal imagery as well as visual images during flight.
Drones offer an assortment of benefits, including crop health imaging and integrated GIS mapping. Moreover, they help save time, make it easy to use, and increase crop yields.
Farmers can draw insights from the drone data to help figure out plant health indices and yield prediction, plant count and plant counting, canopy cover mapping and field water ponding maps, scouting reports, and stockpile measurement, chlorophyll measurements, nitrogen content in wheat, and drainage mapping, and so forth.
Livestock Monitoring
Large farms use wireless IoT to monitor their cattle’s health and location. They can use this information to identify and treat sick animals, as well as prevent the spread of disease among other animals. Additionally, this information reduces labor costs, as cattle owners can find their cattle using IoT-based sensors.
JMB North America offers cow-checking solutions for cow producers. One arrangement helps cow owners identify pregnant cows and help them conceive.
A sensor powered by a battery is attached to the calf and removed when it stops drinking. This transmits data to the farmer or owner. The sensors give farmers the ability to focus more on the time spent with the cows giving birth.
New technology in agriculture: Smart Greenhouses
Greenhouse farming is about increasing the yields and quality of vegetables, fruits, and other crops. The environment can be controlled by greenhouses either through manual intervention or proportional control. Manual intervention can lead to loss of production, energy loss, and increased labor costs.
This renders the complete concept of greenhouses useless. Smart greenhouses offer a better solution. IoT can create a smart greenhouse. These smart greenhouses can monitor and control climate conditions without any manual intervention.
Smart greenhouses use different types of sensors to measure environmental factors and figure out their suitability for plants. The IoT allows remote access by connecting the system to the cloud.
Above all, new technology in agriculture eliminates the need to monitor manually. The cloud server manages the data processing and controls the greenhouse. The IoT sensors in the greenhouse provide vital information about temperature, humidity, and pressure.
The sensors can control everything, from opening windows and turning on lights to controlling temperature and cooling. All this is accomplished via WiFi.
Monitor Weather Conditions
Climate plays a drastic role in crop production. Multiple crops need different climate conditions to properly grow. Any lack of knowledge about climate can severely impact the quality and quantity of crop production. IoT solutions allow farmers to monitor real-time weather conditions.
The sensors are placed in agricultural fields and collect data about the environment. This information is used by farmers for selecting a crop that will grow well in specific climatic conditions.
Sensors that monitor weather conditions, such as temperature and rainfall, are essential for crop production. These sensors can predict any changes in the climate that could affect crop production.
The server is notified about any changes in the climate. This helps to eliminate the need to be present physically. This eventually leads to higher yields. Smart farming has been possible thanks to the IoT. This is a capital-intensive, hi-tech technique.
In conclusion, smart agriculture IoT offers two benefits. Farmers can be more productive and spend less time in the fields. There are many applications for the IoT-based ecosystem in agriculture. The applications have been discussed in detail.
