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Many believe that the agricultural sector is on the verge of making a breakthrough. As we speak, the agriculture industry is undergoing a massive upheaval, if not a complete revolution. Green Revolution was a ground-breaking movement that elevated agriculture to the forefront of the economies of many countries throughout the world. Agriculture has been elevated to the forefront of society thanks to programs such as the Green Revolution. Now, a new wave of technical advancement and start-ups is transforming the agricultural industry as it is now known.
Agribusiness and allied industries currently provide 17-18 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Research indicates that India’s population will grow to 1.6 billion by 2050, according to current projections. Because of this, it is imperative that we take agriculture and associated industries more seriously in order to increase productivity and meet the needs of the rising global population.
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The agricultural environment around the world is fast changing as a result of technological innovation and new-age businesses. Digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, smart apps, mobile apps, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are now more accessible than ever, and the agriculture business is seeing an increase in the adoption of technology. All of these modifications offer a variety of advantages, including making farming more cost-effective and sustainable, increasing production, increasing productivity, and decreasing wastes among other things.
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How IoT are redefining agriculture
Depending on their application and usage, the Internet of Things in agriculture can be broadly split into four broad categories: waste management, drones for field management, machines for routine monitoring, and sensors to monitor soil moisture.
Here are some examples of how the Internet of Things is being used in agriculture:
Agricultural sensors: Farmers can now get a complete study of both the topography and the resources in a given area thanks to Internet of Things (IoT) enabled sensors. Agronomists can use smart farming sensors to collect information on soil quality as well as temperature, humidity, ammonia content, and other variables. Real-time soil monitoring is made possible with this device, which offers information on moisture, temperature, electric conductivity, ph of the soil, and organic matter content. It is particularly important in the animal husbandry space since it allows you to keep track of the type of microenvironment that is accessible for the livestock.
Smart greenhouses: A smart greenhouse that is connected to the Internet of Things automatically monitors and adjusts numerous parameters including as temperature, lighting, humidity, and irrigation levels. By utilizing the Internet of Things and connected devices, it is possible to operate and monitor it without the use of manual labor.
Water management: Water management is a critical component of agricultural production. Farmers can benefit from IoT-based sensors that provide information on crop requirements, climate conditions, and the moisture content of the ground, allowing them to improve their irrigation system.
Livestock tracking and management: The Internet of Things (IoT)-based sensors can provide detailed information on the health, well-being, temperature, activity, and nutritional levels of animals, thereby assisting in the prevention of disease spread.
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Artificial Intelligence and Mobile App Driven Smart Farming
In the approaching decades, data points generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be a critical deciding element in the farming industry. Precision agriculture and farm management, pest prevention, agricultural robots, automated weeding, and crop quality identification will all benefit from artificial intelligence-led precision agriculture and farm management, which will help improve operational efficiency through a unified supply chain and make farming smart, predictive, and intelligent. Additionally, artificial intelligence is playing a critical role in symptom identification in the animal husbandry arena, allowing for faster diagnosis and preventing cattle from being adversely affected by a huge cause, as well as preventing severe outbreaks from taking hold. In order to reap the full benefits of artificial intelligence-driven technology, the globe agricultural sector must address two issues: improving internet infrastructure in rural areas and implementing appropriate data procedures.
Smart apps are the next step in the evolution of farming technology. As the number of agritech start-ups increases, there is an increase in the number of mobile-based smart apps being developed for use across the entire agricultural ecosystem. Agricultural mobile apps come in a variety of flavors, including B2B farming stores, which provide a platform for farmers to sell their produce at competitive prices, GPS tracking apps, which provide key performance indicators to optimize yields, peer to peer information for farmers who are part of a tight-knit community and help them share information, and weather forecasting apps, which predict weather changes in advance.
Because the climate conditions across the world are always changing, being climate proof has become increasingly crucial. Farmers are benefiting from mobile apps that provide them with accurate weather predictions and information on shifting weather trends. Farmers can also use mobile apps to monitor their crops, manage their water resources, manage their livestock, and improve their overall productivity and operational efficiency. Various apps are also available that provide farmers with precise information on topics such as crop quality, pest management, livestock health and nutrition.
Smart farming is already a reality, thanks to the widespread availability of the internet in rural regions and the widespread use of smart phones. Farmers that use a farm management system and a mobile app are able to make data-driven decisions as a result of the digital farming technology. Crop data and insights are provided by these new-age apps and start-ups, as is satellite input-based guidance, which helps farmers maximize the efficiency of their operations.
Ensuring last-mile delivery
Farming change driven by the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and smart apps will be significantly reliant on two factors: digital infrastructure and last mile accessibility for farmers. With the rapid digital transformation occurring in agriculture, a concerted effort from the government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector is required to deliver end-to-end farmer centric solutions, which includes educating farmers on technology, developing a rural digital infrastructure, and providing them with access to the most up-to-date tools and technology available.