Technology Used in Agriculture

As the world’s population grows, farmers need to produce more on the same land. When you factor in climate change and high labor costs, that’s a tall order to fill. Like most other industries, the agricultural sector must turn to technology to help fill the demand. Technology has become an indispensable part of life for every farmer, ag retailer, and agronomist.

Modern agricultural technologies improve farming practices by lowering farming costs, enhancing production efficiency, and saving time.

This article looks at emerging tech options that are transforming and creating new opportunities for the players in the agriculture industry.

The Impact of Technology on the Agricultural Industry

According to an estimation by the United Nations Chronicle, the global demand for food will rise by 60% by 2050. In contrast, the global GDP on agricultural shares has shrunk by 3%, with one-third taking place in the last decade. To counter the challenges, the industry needs to adopt state-of-the-art solutions to improve farming processes and enhance productivity while lowering costs.

The Top Five Emerging Technological Advancements in the Agricultural Industry

1. Remote Management

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could be everywhere at the same time? Unfortunately, we’re not superheroes, and since we can’t be in five places at once, remote management is the next best thing. Through an app or web browser, you can monitor various conditions on your farm, such as irrigation, livestock housing, and material handling. 

Drones provide aerial imaging so you can monitor field conditions from anywhere. Remote devices bring crucial information to your fingertips so you can handle time-sensitive issues when they occur, enabling a higher crop yield while saving on labor costs.

2. Automation

Industrial automation technology involves using robotics and automated processes to resolve labor shortage issues. By using self-driving equipment, you need fewer people operating the machines. Today’s equipment performs a wide breadth of tasks, from precision field seeding and fertilizing to herbicide spraying and cattle feeding. 

3. Precision Agriculture

By adopting precision agriculture, farmers incorporate GPS with other technological tools to gather data on soil and crops. The technology optimizes resources like fertilizer and water needed in specific conditions. Farmers can evaluate and respond to a wide range of factors like crop growth and moisture levels through a variety of applications. 

Precision agriculture suits large-scale farming where every input counts. Farmers can achieve higher yields with enhanced soil health, less environmental impact and more efficient allocation of resources. You can avoid over-fertilizing the fields by monitoring the soil’s health, thereby cutting costs and diseases during production. 

4. Data Analytics

Farmers can merge and analyze data to unlock or discover new or overlooked relationships between information. Researchers can learn more about livestock and crop genomes by using data from the agricultural sectors.

Researchers can develop new ways to enhance production by merging genomic data with other metrics, such as soil composition and weather information. The collected data enables easy sharing of knowledge when seeking solutions.

5. Soil and Water Sensors

Sensors can track the soil’s nitrogen and moisture levels. It’s an easy and economical technology that allows farmers to detect parts of their fields that need fertilizing or watering. This detection enables farmers to utilize their resources when and where they’re needed more accurately.

The ag industry is changing rapidly, and implementing information technology can help you keep up. GPS Guidance, sensors, drones, autonomous vehicles, GPS-based soil sampling and more will help increase production with greater precision. Contact us to learn more about our services in the agriculture industry.