The global population is constantly increasing, and it presently stands at 7.7 billion people. One question that arises is, "What are these individuals going to eat?" primarily, this question is directed at the agricultural sector.
The growing population isn't the only problem confronting modern farmers. What about labor shortages and consumer demands for environmentally friendly food? Traditional methods, however, are unable to meet this enormous need. This is causing farmers and food producers to look for innovative ways to enhance output while decreasing waste. Smart farming is the answer to all of these questions.
What is smart farming?
Smart farming is the management of farms via the use of advanced information and communication technology to maximize the quantity and quality of crops while minimizing the amount of human work necessary.
Smart farming is becoming more important as a result of the growing global population, the need to utilize natural resources more wisely, rising demand for higher crop yields, the growing use and the growing need for climate-smart agriculture.
Benefits of smart farming technologies
The Internet of Things (IoT)
The Internet of Things (IoT) opens up endless possibilities for smart farming techniques, allowing farmers to monitor and control their farm's operations via linked gadgets. Farmers, for example, may use their cell phones to monitor animals and crops from the comfort of their bedroom, while still gathering crucial information and data to assist them in making a more informed decision.
Agricultural drones
Drones are being used in many fields nowadays and for good reason. Drones not only observe crops by flying above them, but also assist farmers in managing their crops more sustainably. Drones can even detect animals before fieldwork starts, saving numerous lives each year.
Drones can do a lot of the work that used to be done by humans, which is a significant step toward alleviating the labor deficit in the current economy. Here are a few examples of tasks that drones can perform:
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Improving agricultural security and monitoring
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Monitoring and managing animals, crops, and soil properties
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Pest and weed control
Smart sensors
Farmers may receive precise information about a broad variety of factors, such as salt concentrations, acid levels, and soil temperature, using sensors placed across their farms. Furthermore, sensors can forecast weather conditions for the next several days or weeks, allowing farmers to take proper precautions to safeguard their crops and livestock.
Robotics
These days, farms are home to a wide variety of robots. One of the most frequent forms of agricultural robots is the milking robot, which, as the name implies, can milk cows automatically. Similar robots can efficiently pick weeds, plant seeds, and harvest crops, increasing yields and profitability.
Smart farming apps
Farmers can simply track and manage their crops and animals from any sort of device and from across the globe thanks to smart farming. Farmers are given specialized smart farming applications to help them do so. Depending on the application, statistics can also be included in these apps, making it even simpler for producers to make informed decisions.
