One of the oldest and most important businesses in the world is agriculture. However, in order to cope with the world’s ever-growing population, it is becoming essential for agri-industry professionals to adopt digital solutions in order to maximise production. This comes as natural resources are becoming scarcer and the effects of climate are, at the same time, being more adverse and widespread.
In recent years, many agricultural businesses have grown more receptive to implementing digital technologies in optimising their operations, which has resulted in lower costs, higher yields, and more profitability for producers. The use of technology to increase the productivity of farming and financial success is known as the emergence of Agritech.
What are the digital innovations reshaping the Agritech industry?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) In Agriculture
The market for AI in agriculture is predicted to expand by 20% annually over the next few years, reaching $2.5 billion by 2026 [1]. With this expected growth, farmers should evolve with digital technologies such as AI which are becoming more widely adopted.
AI has various applications in the agricultural industry, including crop management, livestock monitoring, soil analysis, and predictive analytics. This is achieved by analysing data from many sources, such as weather forecasts, soil sensors, and satellite imagery, in order to make more informed decisions.
A further application of AI in agriculture is livestock monitoring. This can be used to track animal behaviour, detect illnesses, and optimise feed distribution. This technology can also help farmers make more profitable decisions regarding farm management through the analysis of market trends, weather patterns, and consumer demands.
Precision Agriculture
Precision agriculture is made possible by AI, Precision agriculture is another significant digital innovation that will reshape agriculture in 2023. It is a cutting-edge farming strategy that seeks to lower costs and increase crop yields by carefully controlling a number of different processes, including crop positioning, soil composition, and chemical treatment [3].
Computer vision-based object detection techniques can identify and locate specific insects and weeds in a field, enabling the targeted delivery of insecticides and herbicides [1]. In 2023 and beyond, AI in agriculture is expected to continue to revolutionise the sector and how we farm.
Precision agriculture can also be used to manage different land areas based on various economic and environmental objectives. To achieve this, this technique employs tools to gather in-depth data on crop and animal performance, as well as specific attributes of individual production areas at a high spatial resolution[4].
This digital solution can also aid in matching land use to land use capability. This promotes sustainability by optimising productivity in the productive parts of the landscape while preserving biodiversity and natural resources in less productive areas [4]. With the help of this technology, farmers can manage their property more effectively and economically, increasing yields and lowering costs.
Smart Farming
Smart Farming sometimes referred to as farming automation, is a technological advancement that leverages data from sensors and monitoring systems to enhance agricultural operations as a whole and generate value [2].
One of its applications is the ability to determine, in real-time, if a field is well watered after a tablet is linked to sensors. This enables farmers to save water and enhance the quality of their products in the process. If you link your monitoring system to a user interface that can handle large amounts of data with machine learning, a system like this is also capable of offering far more complicated solutions[2].
These are just a handful of the innovative digital technologies that are now revolutionising the Agritech sector.
In the end, the Agritech sector's utilisation of digital technologies has the potential to dramatically revolutionise the agriculture business. With optimised production, improved yields, and increased profitability through managing their operations more effectively, farmers may save a substantial amount of time and money. This has the ability to maximise the amount of food produced globally to feed the expanding world population. As a result, farmers and companies in the agriculture sector have a fantastic opportunity to embrace digital transformation and seize the benefits provided by digital solutions.
But it doesn't stop there, there are endless possibilities for those wanting to utilise these technologies to enhance their business. Adopting and implementing these technologies can seem daunting, which is why businesses like Mo Works are here to assist.
Get in touch today and grow your business!
References:
AI in agriculture: 8 practical applications (no date) AI in Agriculture: 8 Practical Applications. Available at: https://www.v7labs.com/blog/ai-in-agriculture (Accessed: February 28, 2023).
How digital transformation is revolutionising Agritech (2022) HT Apps. Available at: https://www.ht-apps.eu/en/digital-transformation-agritech/ (Accessed: February 28, 2023).
Marks, J. (2023) Computer vision in agriculture 2023, Voxel51. Available at: https://voxel51.com/blog/how-computer-vision-is-changing-agriculture-in-2023/ (Accessed: February 28, 2023).
Precision Agriculture (no date) CSIRO. Available at: https://www.csiro.au/en/research/plants/crops/farming-systems/precision-agriculture (Accessed: February 28, 2023).
