Agricultural technology

The importance of agricultural tech, agri-tech in modern farming, technology videos

As we are approaching an age of increasing population numbers, limited farmland, limited resources, and nutritional deficits, the future of agriculture is shifting into a second agricultural renaissance. We are living in the age of vertical farming.

As our numbers rise, science is telling us that nutritious food will be in short supply headed into the future. We are running out of farmland, and there are more urban communities without the nutrition to keep them healthy all over the country. These are major problems that can be solved through vertical farming systems.

In the shipping of produce, our fruits and vegetables travel all over the US and is even brought in from other countries. As the produce travels far distances to reach grocery stores, restaurants, and other food service operations, the quality of the food, freshness, and nutrition all deplete over time.

By developing a growing system close to where the produce will be distributed and sold, we preserve all the things needed to have completely healthy and nutritious food. The closer the farms are to the communities, more and more people will have easy access to the nutrition they need to thrive.

Modern farms and agricultural operations work far differently than those a few decades ago, primarily because of advancements in technology, including sensors, devices, machines, and information technology.

Today's agriculture routinely uses sophisticated technologies such as robots, temperature and moisture sensors, aerial images, and GPS technology. These advanced devices and precision agriculture and robotic systems allow businesses to be more profitable, efficient, safer, and more environmentally friendly.

"Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness". ---- Thomas Jefferson

the importance of agricultural technology

Farmers no longer have to apply water, fertilizers, and pesticides uniformly across entire fields. Instead, they can use the minimum quantities required and target very specific areas, or even treat individual plants differently. Benefits include:

Higher crop productivity

Decreased use of water, fertilizer, and pesticides, which in turn keeps food prices down

Reduced impact on natural ecosystems

Less runoff of chemicals into rivers and groundwater

Increased worker safety

In addition, robotic technologies enable more reliable monitoring and management of natural resources, such as air and water quality. It also gives producers greater control over plant and animal production, processing, distribution, and storage, which results in:

Greater efficiencies and lower prices

Safer growing conditions and safer foods

Reduced environmental and ecological impact

agri-tech in modern farming

Currently, agriculture has gradually shifted from rudimentary practices to the use of technology that makes use of little space to produce large output.

In the last decade, agriculture technology has seen a huge growth in investment globally. According to the farming portal, about $6.7 billion was invested in agriculture technology in the last 5 years and $1.9 billion in the last year alone.

indoor vertical farming

This involves the practice of growing produce stacked one above another in a closed and controlled environment. It has the advantage of increasing crop yields and uses limited land area to grow plants compared to traditional farming methods. Unlike traditional farming, which is mostly done in the rural areas where there exist vast lands, vertical farms are ideal for city and urban farming because of their ability to thrive in limited space.

In some cases, the setups may not require soil for plants to grow. Most are either hydroponic, where vegetables are grown in a nutrient-dense bowl of water, or aeroponic, where the plant roots are systematically sprayed with water and nutrients. In place of natural sunlight, artificial grow lights are used. Vertical farms also use up to 70 percent less water than traditional farms.

livestock technology

Recently, technology can be used to improve the production capacity, welfare, or management of animals and livestock. An example is the concept of the ‘connected cow’ which allows more and more dairy herds to be fitted with sensors to monitor the health and increase productivity. Putting individual wearable sensors on cattle can keep track of daily activity and health-related issues while providing data-driven insights for the entire herd. This helps generate data that can be used for management decisions.

precision agriculture

Another important form of technology in commercial farming is precision agriculture. These technologies allow farmers to maximize yields by controlling moisture levels, pest stress, soil conditions, and micro-climates. With the provision of accurate techniques for planting and growing crops, precision agriculture enables farmers to increase efficiency and manage costs. The precision agriculture market is projected to reach $43.4 billion by 2025, according to a recent report by Grand View Research.

farm automation

This is often associated with “smart farming” technology that makes farms more efficient and automates the crop or livestock production cycle.

With this form of technology, farmers can use their smartphones to remotely monitor their equipment, crops, and livestock, as well as obtain stats on their livestock feeding and produce. Also, farmers can use this technology to run statistical predictions for their crops and livestock. Furthermore, technology encourages the use of drones as a tool for farmers to survey their lands, perform field analysis, and generate real-time data.

modern greenhouses

The greenhouse is not a new phenomenon across the globe. However, recently greenhouses are shifting from small-scale facilities which were mostly used for research and aesthetic purposes to larger facilities for mass production of food. Estimates show that the global greenhouse market currently produces about $350 billion in vegetables annually. The attention is gradually shifting towards hi-tech, using LED lights and automated control systems to perfectly tailor the growing environment.

Despite the huge capital outlays required, the adoption of these technologies will help increase agriculture productivity in the country, reduce damages to land and the environment, ensure food security as well as improve the general quality of life.

"One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man." ---elbert hubbard

agricultural tech videos

are indoor vertical farms the future of agriculture?

By 2050, the global population is projected to reach 9.8 billion. How are we going to feed everyone? Investment-banker-turned-farmer Stuart Oda points to indoor vertical farming: growing food on tiered racks in a controlled, climate-proof environment. In a forward-looking talk, he explains how this method can maintain better safety standards, save money, use less water and help us provide for future generations.

visiting the farm of the future

Amid population growth and a changing climate, we meet the food producers doing more with less.

commercial farming with tower gardens

With these aeroponic towers, we grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs faster and better. They don't use any soil and they significantly reduce water consumption. You only need about 5% of the water you would typically need with traditional farming. They also save on space. You only need about 3 sq. ft. per tower, so you can grow vertically in a much smaller area. They also work indoors and outdoors so you can grow your own food all year long.

how drones are elevating intelligence in agriculture

Growers are using drone imagery to monitor crop health, forecast yields, verify stand establishment, and run a myriad of other analytic reports, all at the click of a button.

PrecisionHawk offers a portfolio of multi-copter and fixed-wing drones, paired with a range of visual, multispectral, hyperspectral, and thermal sensors. They're flown by the world's leading agricultural research firms and hometown agronomists to gain an unprecedented view of crops.

To turn aerial data into insights, they use PrecisionAnalytics Agriculture--a web-based portal designed specifically for agriculture users. The platform automatically processes aerial imagery into 2D maps and 3D elevation models, produces vegetative indices, and delivers prescription maps.

growing a garden inside a shipping container

As ECU's part of sustainability plan, some of the lettuce served in the dining halls is being grown organically inside of a shipping container on campus.

To save historic farm, couple creates agrihood of tiny homes

When developers bought the land that Skip Connett and Erin Flynn were farming in Austin TX, and planned to turn their fields into RV lots, the couple conceived of a plan to save their farm and add an attraction to the development. Village Farm, the first "agrihood" in the area, was born. Instead of building community around a golf course or a pool, they argued for making the farm the focal point and to build tiny houses around it so residents would benefit from fresh produce and views of fields and flowers.

Village Farm was launched as “the nation’s first Agrihood” with the 1902 mule barn and farmhouse as the centerpiece, surrounded by 170 tiny homes. Skip and Erin came back to restart their Green Gate Farms and manage it on a contractual basis; part of that agreement is that they have a tiny home for themselves to live in while running the farm. While they still haven't given up their home on their larger farm in Bastrop, Texas, they feel it's important for farmers to live on-site.

The rise of neighborhood farms and "agrihoods"

A rising number of new neighborhoods are being built around farms. These suburban housing developments are called "agrihoods." Neighbors can work on fully-functional farms and bring fresh produce home. The trend is spreading across the country with "agrihoods" in more than two dozen states. Chip Reid reports.

15 Modern Farming Technologies that are NEXT LEVEL

Farming technology is continuing to get more sophisticated, allowing for larger food yields. Today we'll be taking a look at incredible and next level farming technology.

in conclusion

Over the past few decades, farming has been subject to numerous rapid technological advances. Today, traditional farmers and indoor growers alike employ an array of technologies to help their farms grow more efficiently.

All of these tools fall under the umbrella term of “Agriculture Technology,” better known as AgTech, defined simply as the application of technology to farming. Spanning every step of production—from seed to store—AgTech contributes to seed genomics, soil health, machinery, and supply chain management, among other processes.

Examples of AgTech in action can be found in a variety of farming environments across the country. On large farming operations, “walking the fields” has been replaced with drones that are used to scout, map, and survey huge swaths of farmland. Equipped with advanced cameras that use sensors to detect things like moisture content and plant health, these drones can help survey future growing sites, as well as report back to farmers on areas of the farm that may need more attention.

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