AgTech: Adapt and Evolve to Successful Modern Farming

The rising world population dictating the growing importance of the world agricultural scene, when coupled with the exponential development in technology, emanates the latest catchphrase in the agribusiness sector –Agricultural Technology or AGTECH. AgTech industry comprises of a wide expanse of advanced agricultural technology that covers all areas of agriculture, from farm to fork. Just as tractors replaced animals on farms and transformed the face of farming a hundred and fifty years ago, AgTech companies have begun to revolutionize and potentially metamorphose farming as we know it.

Being one of the largest industries in the world, agriculture faces a lot of problems which can be significantly reduced by the rising AgTech startups in this area.

CHALLENGES FACED BY FARMERS TODAY

Increasing Demand

• • rising population
  • need for high quality food
  • the need to know where food comes from

Ecological Impact

• • biodiversity challenges
  • water consumption
  • sustainability
  • climate change
  • land degradation

Financial Instability

• • alleviating poverty
  • build profitability
  • small and scattered land and resources

As the adage goes, Modern Problems require Modern Solutions!

 

AgTech Solutions

AgTech offers specific and comprehensive solutions to most of the problems faced by farmers, be it big corporations farming on large tracts of lands or small hold farmers. These technologies can be wide encompassing or specific, depending on the needs of the farmer or agribusiness.

FARM MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE (FMS) 

A Farm Management Software (FMS) is an AgTech tool that encompasses all the varied technological services that are used in a farm. It enables monitoring all activities as well as guiding the farmers towards maximum efficiency on a farm. All the AgTech innovations, listed below, can be integrated under an FMS.

PRECISION FARMING AND AGRICULTURAL MAPPING

Satellite Imagery enables geo mapping of the farm for real time surveillance of crop conditions and integrate it with other information related to the farm to alert about nutrient or moisture deficiency in the soil or to provide advance warning of an impending pest/disease attack. Timely intervention is critical to avoid crop damage, utilize the limited resources more precisely and to improve profitability.

UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES (UAV’s)

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or Drones are used for surveillance of farms and crops. They are also used for judicious administration of pesticides and fertilizers and checking on crop health.

SUSTAINABILITY MONITORING

Modern farming technologies enable complete transparency throughout the food cycle and have measures to monitor adherence to environmental standards. FMS is also a good platform to impart training on principles of sustainability to the farmers and other stakeholders in the industry.  Sustainable irrigation, soil conservation, microbiome preservation etc. are part of the latest AgTech trends.

WEATHER FORECASTING

The vagaries and risks associated with climate change can be controlled to an extent by excellent weather forecasting technology enabling effective planning of farming activities.  FMS makes this information available to the farmers at the touch of a button. Judicious deployment of the farm resources after knowing about the weather forecasts can prevent wastage of resources.  Examples of such wastages are the fertilizer or pesticides getting washed off in rain water, hired laborers sitting idle because it is raining.

BIO CHEMICAL INNOVATIONS

High yielding and nutritious varieties of seeds, well performing fertilizers and pesticides that are not harmful for consumption or environment etc. comes to life under bio chemical researches.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Robots and machines are extensively used in modern agriculture as a solution to shortage of labour.

INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT)

Sensors are placed in the field to monitor temperature, humidity, air quality, pest movements, etc.  The data flows into an FMS for monitoring, raising alerts and taking automatic counter measures.

DATA ANALYTICS AND BLOCKCHAIN

Big data analysis for arriving at profitable as well as sustainable farming methods and making important decisions is done through extensive computing. Blockchain technology can also be accessed for securing data.

CONCLUSION

It is undisputed that the future of Agriculture is in AgTech. The relevance of AgTech is also because of the fact that it enables even a small farmer or groups of small agribusinesses to function efficiently, manage risks and increase profitability. It also benefits women, who form a large group of agricultural entrepreneurs, to hold their own in an unequal world.

AgTech will float your boat. All you need is to find the right tide to ride.

Trace AgTech is an efficient and one of the most modern solutions created by professionals who have managed farms and farmers for over 30 years. It is an easy-to-implement farm software that can process data actionable insights to effectively manage the risk factors of agricultural production. Systematic data handling helps in maintaining traceability upto the day-wise farm activities. Maintain the trust and goodwill of your enterprise through farm traceability with Trace AgTech.