Emily Newton on October 22, 2021
Thanks to contextual and real-time data, we know more about our environment than ever, and that’s making some pretty big waves in the farming and agriculture industry. IoT in agriculture delivers new insights that improve efficiency, profitability and yield, which grows more important every day due to climate change. Crop yields will determine whether or not we face food shortages and major crises.
IoT in agriculture, also called precision agriculture, is a form of smart farming that utilizes incoming data to measure, modify and manage crops. This leads to better harvests and a higher yield of food and supplies. The data inherently allows farmers to optimize crop conditions, deal with potential issues as soon as they arise and improve the industry.
It makes everything smarter and more precise.
The global smart agriculture market is expected to see a revenue increase from $9.58 billion in 2017 to $23.14 billion by 2022, a difference of $13.56 billion in just five years. It’s growing at this pace because of how influential the technology is.
To understand IoT precision agriculture and how it truly evolves traditional processes, we need to take a closer look at ways it’s making farming operations more precise.
1. Real-Time Monitoring
Farmers watching over their crops is an age-old practice, but gone are the days where they have to physically move between every row of crops. Weatherproof and outdoor-friendly IoT sensors can be used in the field instead. When combined with other technologies, like drones and cameras, farming teams have much more control over the results.
Those IoT sensors deliver real-time updates about water levels, sunlight exposure, temperature, soil conditions and potential toxins. It’s all relayed through modern technology, whether on a phone or tablet, using software-based tools. Farmers can take that information and make adjustments to remedy adverse conditions much faster than ever before. The result is higher food production, better yields, less waste and smarter operations. This more hands-off approach allows farmers to recover some personal time.
2. Smart Equipment
The same IoT sensors, delivering real-time data, can be installed on farm equipment, providing two major benefits.
The first is smarter equipment that allows farmers to stay on top of the machine’s health. It lowers operating costs, reduces fuel and other waste, and keeps machinery running and in optimal condition. It also enables preventive maintenance, which takes a proactive stance on machine care. Problems are identified early, before they cause delays, and can be remedied by replacing failing parts before they break.
The second benefit is that the equipment becomes infinitely smarter, creating more nuanced opportunities in the field. Machines are more precise and can be leveraged for new activities or duties, thanks to smarter controls. Imagine an automated fruit picker that can discern between ripe and rotten crops or a watering system that can detect water levels in the plants it’s serving.
3. Smarter Terrain
Aerial and ground drones can be used to comb fields and surrounding areas to detect environmental conditions. Maybe runoff is killing a segment of the current crops, or a change in the weather has altered certain regions. Changes happen all the time, and farmers need to know what they are and how to deal with them.
Drones can help by patrolling the land, collecting visual data and other useful metrics, and then reporting back to central command. This information can be used to build informed models by offering intelligent predictions and notifying of potential problems. In this way, farmers have a better understanding of the nearby terrain, leading to improved crop yield.
4. Healthier Livestock
IoT precision agriculture isn’t just about the crops. The animals and livestock see benefits, as well. IoT sensors, drones, smart cameras and similarly data-enabled monitoring hardware can be used to keep an eye on cows, bulls, sheep, and other grazing animals. They can also be used in housing — like a chicken coop or barn — to monitor them.
These devices allow ranchers and farmers to identify sick or wounded animals, monitor their numbers and react to various situations. For example, the devices can help pinpoint optimal areas for shelter, where the animals spend most of their time. The devices can also help with feeding, watering and standard care. If certain conditions are detected, like a fever or illness, they can also quarantine livestock and identify those that need to be separated from the herd.
5. Time to Market
Beyond the conventional agriculture operations, like caring for crops and livestock, there’s the business aspect to farming. Products need to be packaged, transported and distributed. IoT and smart agriculture can speed up these processes by introducing automation. Smart robotics can help collect ripe fruit and vegetables, tend the crops, manage livestock and produce related items, like meat. What’s more, these solutions can deliver real-time data insights, further unifying operations.
For example, farmers can see the estimated yield and make more informed decisions on packaging and reduce waste by avoiding over-ordering. They can also prepare supply chain partners, provide accurate delivery dates and times, and inform on shortages.
6. Food Safety
Fresh produce and goods must be preserved and handled with care. Items have to be maintained properly, from the moment they leave a farm to the time they enter a distribution warehouse and onto store shelves or customers’ homes. The cold chain is an obvious example, but fresh goods may also have to be canned, packaged or pickled, and then transported under stringent conditions. IoT for precision agriculture can offer more control and better support for this entire system.
Everyone involved in the supply chain benefits from smart RFID sensors, temperature monitors, general IoT sensors and tracking solutions. The incoming data helps speed up operations, improve care and empower a comprehensive real-time monitoring system. It also reduces waste and the potential for foodborne illness or contamination. The result is better food safety with nuanced tracking. A retailer can see exactly where a shipment came from and what was included and remove contaminated items from shelves or inform customers who already purchased the goods.
7. Smart Conservation
Agriculture requires lots of energy, water and resources to maintain crops. Whether you’re talking about the fuel used for heavy machinery, the water used to keep crops hydrated, or various chemicals that improve the yield and fend off pests, there’s a lot expended to keep things running smoothly.
IoT precision agriculture can reduce a lot of waste that stems from normal operations. Smart irrigation allows sensors to monitor plants and soil for water levels, determining the ideal time to water while also using less. Those same technologies can improve equipment fuel efficiency, optimize how they work, reduce when and where they’re used, and pinpoint optimal times of operation. Ultimately, the technology improves every aspect of farming, prioritizing the conservation of natural resources and beyond.
IoT In Agriculture: The Future of Farming
While IoT precision agriculture can accurately be described as the future of the industry, it’s also important to point out that this is all happening right now. It’s being implemented on a global and rampant scale, offering major improvements thanks to the connected devices that enable smart farming.
Collected at: https://datafloq.com/read/7-ways-iot-makes-farming-more-precise/18814