Technology has changed immensely over the last few years. As per the United Nations, the global population is predicted to reach 9.8 billion by 2050 end, which suggests that there will be much more mouths to feed with the same or even lesser agricultural land. Different industries and sectors such as manufacturing, retail, banking and financial services, aerospace and defense, food and beverages, IT and telecom, and many others have adopted cutting-edge technologies in order to survive and sustain their business. It has been observed that the agriculture sector is also incorporating unique technologies to cut operational costs and increase production. The following are some of the major technological trends observed in the agriculture sector.
- Precision Farming
Precision farming is also known as smart farming where the latest technology is used to increase the productivity and quality of agricultural products. Methods and techniques such as data management, soil scanning, and GPS are incorporated in order to increase crop yield. Companies are also introducing different products and solutions that help farmers to increase the productivity of crops. For instance, on 6th March 2020, Airbus launched its integrated precision farming solution for permanent as well as commodity crops known as AgNeo. The newly launched solution is based on agronomic analytics and satellite imagery that will help farmers to optimize inputs.
- Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning
AI has numerous applications across various industrial verticals and the agriculture sector is no option. Predictive analytics, agricultural robots, and crop and soil monitoring are predominantly the major applications of AI in agriculture. Companies are working in order to introduce agriculture robots that can perform harvesting tasks efficiently. Apart from this, companies such as PEAT and Trace Genomics have developed applications and services based on deep learning, machine learning, automation, and automation technologies that help farmers to test soil conditions, defects, and nutrient deficiencies. Automation performed a significant role in assisting farmers for better crop yield.
- Organic Farming
It has been noticed an increase in the percentage of organic farming owing to different factors such as the adoption of healthier lifestyles, awareness towards organic food, and others. Organic farming refers to the usage of naturally occurring substances over a synthetic one. As there are no side effects related to organic farming like pollution and deforestation, therefore consumer prefers food products which are naturally grown and free from pesticides and chemicals.
Technology is changing rapidly and AI-driven technologies will play a vital role in the agriculture sector. Additionally, these technologies can will predict weather conditions that could avoid financial as well as physical loss of farmers, however adoption of cutting edge technologies expected to continue to grow in the upcoming years.
