To meet the demands of a growing global population, estimates suggest we'll have to increase food production by as much as 68 percent by 2050. While this presents an exciting opportunity for the future of agriculture, it also raises serious questions and challenges. These include a limited water supply, an aging workforce, climate change, environmental concerns, and the encroachment of cities on farmlands. Canada, for example, has lost approximately 3.9 million hectares of agricultural land to urbanization over the past 50 years.
To address these issues, the agricultural sector has begun to embrace innovative agritech products and smart, sustainable farming practices to increase yields, optimize resource usage, and enhance sustainability and resilience across crop cultivation.
Let's look at the agritech trends that will define the future of agriculture:
Data analytics has emerged as a game-changer in today's rapidly evolving agricultural landscape, revolutionizing the way farmers monitor and optimize their crops. It is also growing fast, with widespread adoption – the global agriculture analytics market size is projected to grow from $1.4 billion USD to $2.5 billion by 2028.
So how is data being used in agriculture? Forward-thinking farmers are now analyzing data collected from agriculture sensors, allowing them to make informed decisions on:
This kind of data-driven farming has enabled accurate forecasting of crop production and empowered farmers to enhance their crop yields significantly. It can also lead to resource optimization, reducing water and electricity consumption while maintaining high yields.
Governments and organizations worldwide are recognizing the potential of agriculture analytics, leading to the launch of several transformative projects, including:
As with many other industries, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in farming has ushered in a new era of automation, unlocking unprecedented efficiency. Here are some notable examples of how AI is reshaping agriculture:
AI-driven remote monitoring and automation enable farmers to efficiently manage critical tasks and processes from afar, including controlling irrigation systems and monitoring climate conditions, providing farmers with real-time insights to optimize operations with precision.
Smart sensors equipped with AI algorithms allow farmers to monitor soil conditions, nutrient levels, and distribution of seed and fertilizer. This data-driven approach optimizes resource usage, leading to improved yields and reduced waste.
French start-up Dilepix, is at the forefront of AI-powered virtual fencing solutions, which leverage GPS and other technologies to create invisible boundaries for livestock. Using chains and shock collars to gently guide animals, this innovation enhances livestock inventory and management, ensuring efficient and controlled grazing patterns and reduced overgrazing.
Released in 2022, John Deere’s self-driving tractors are equipped with advanced 360-degree cameras, a high-speed processor to evaluate every image, and AI to sort images and determine if the area is safe to drive over...all in 100 milliseconds.
The adoption of vehicles like this will have a dramatic effect on farm operations and the streamlining of labor-intensive processes.
The California-based Verdant Robotics claims to have built a machine that targets weeds and crops at a rate of 20 plants per second. It then treats them with accurate sprays of weed killer or fertilizer.
AI-powered robots like this can optimize the harvesting process in ways we haven’t quite envisioned yet, leading to higher crop yields and reduced labor costs.
It’s not an exaggeration to say the adoption of drone technology is revolutionizing the agricultural landscape, offering innovative solutions to some of the challenges mentioned earlier. And while this technology is not new, ongoing advanced sensors and data collection can unlock game changing potential.
Here are some of the key ways drones will have an impact on the crop cycle:
Using drones, farmers will be able to leverage precise 3D maps to make data-driven decisions on seed planting and planning, irrigation, and nitrogen level management.
Numerous startups, such as the Ontario-based Flash Forest, have developed drone-planting systems that efficiently shoot pods with seeds and nutrients into the soil. Some reports have shown these systems can reduce planting costs by as much as 85 percent.
Drones facilitate real-time scanning of fields, enabling even and efficient crop spraying. According to a report by the World Government Summit, aerial spraying with drones is up to five times faster than traditional machinery.
Sensor-equipped drones can be used to identify areas of the field that require improvement or are in need of irrigation, enabling precise water resource management.
Drones can also be used to generate time-series animations that showcase crop development and reveal production inefficiencies, leading to better crop management.
Using visible and near-infrared light, drones can also scan crops to track changes in plant health and identify potential diseases, allowing farmers to take timely action.
For over 40 years, Kingstec helped companies in North America and Europe grow with unmatched engineering expertise, manufacturing relationships, and global logistics experience.
We are dedicated to empowering agritech companies of all sizes, providing:
Call us today to explore how Kingstec can collaborate with your business, empowering you to develop cutting-edge agritech products and services that shape the future of agriculture.
