In response to rising food demand and a burgeoning population, “Precision Farming,” a promised agricultural revolution, has been making headway. Technology adaptation has improved the agri-value chain, putting the agri-industry back on a sustainable path, and this has also been the driving force behind “Precision Farming.”
What is precision farming?
Precision farming, in contrast to traditional farming methods, is a strategy of raising average yields by employing precise amounts of inputs. In India, the small field size is a big problem. More than 58% of the country’s operational properties are under one hectare in size (ha)
Since production processes have changed dramatically throughout time. The key components that determine the input to yield ratio are tools, machinery, and technology. Because of their effectiveness, these applications have grown immensely popular. This is not just because they make a man’s job easier, but also because today’s tools and technology enable upscaling and sustainable resource utilisation across the value chain, whether it’s a resource, time, or money.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the world’s population will exceed 10 billion by 2050. As a result, there will be an increase in food demand. This, together with the economic and environmental consequences of extreme weather, is driving the adoption of ethical and sustainable farming practices around the world.
Precision farming, also known as precision agriculture, uses data and digital tools to provide insights that help agri-stakeholders, farmers, and businesses make better decisions that increase efficiency, production, and sustainability. Precision farming uses digital technologies to allow data to flow easily, which improves the overall outcome of farm and company operations.
Agricultural sensors are a critical piece of precision farming technology. These are distributed among new-age agricultural tools and crop monitoring systems in order to assist farmers and businesses in obtaining important data. These sensors can detect a wide range of variables, including temperature, humidity, soil quality, and so on, making it easier to monitor crop health and make consistent judgments.
However, we have a significant data hurdle. More than 58% of the country’s operational properties are under one hectare in size (ha).
What is the Solution?
While this data can be quite useful, the amount of data collected, or what we refer to as the ‘Data Set,’ must be extensive. Due to the tiny size of farms, there may be gaps in the information gathered. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning, two pillars of new-age farming practices, are used to overcome this problem (ML). AI and machine learning are frequently used to compare, check, and discover potential problems. Furthermore, by recognising inaccuracies, it is possible to correct them by comparing them to data collected over time and graphing pertinent information extracted.
Not only do these encourage smart and data-based farm decisions but they also enhance the productivity and sustainability of agricultural activities across the entire Agri value chain. They promote farmers and enterprises to extract information from the data that is collected by technologies and crunch it to build a framework to form intelligent predictions.
These have been a great helping hand when it comes to solving complex agricultural concerns such as pattern recognition, pest identification and so on.
Drones are helping agri-stakeholders evaluate crops across the entire farmland and also transfer real-time data to other connected equipment, helping farmers monitor their farms in an efficient way. Drones have also been used to spray fertilisers in sufficient quantity across the farmland, helping prevent the overuse or underuse of chemicals on crops.
New-age technologies have been a game-changer in precision farming. Robots for instance have successfully led to the betterment of operational-pace, without having to compromise on the quality of work that is done. These have been very helpful in automating repetitive and tedious tasks that would have taken hours and eventually might have even drained a farmer’s energy, influencing their overall productivity.
Precision Farming is becoming the norm. It is not only lessening the dependency on farm labour but is also expediting agricultural activities and eliminating the possibility of errors in the farming operations, making farming more value-driven and productive. These technologies are creating a route for farmers to smartly use their resources while driving greater value from their farming operations.
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