Besides the most apparent aspect of agriculture, which is to feed the world, this industry is one of the most powerful tools to culminate extreme poverty and boost economies. However, it is worth mentioning that the tremendous impact of agricultural growth on poverty is not ubiquitous, and greater trade openness is the actual key driver of poverty reduction and starvation ending on a global scale. Furthermore, agriculture is the world’s largest industry, generating 1.3 trillion dollars of food worth annually.
The agriculture industry is constantly evolving to better suit today’s challenges, trends, and environmental pressures. As the concern of feeding almost 10 billion mouths remains a daunting prospect, numerous groundbreaking technological advancements have emerged on the market, revamping the landscape of farming and implementing practical solutions that welcome the world into a new era of agricultural innovation.
Livestock Farming Technology
As it has been long established that the future of livestock farming counts on researchers, innovators, technologists, and a genuine collaboration between farmers, there have been introduced several innovative practices that utilize technology and data-driven solutions to optimize this particular field. Here are some examples:
- Camera technology to improve pig welfare: Due to the numerous concerns regarding pigs’ tendency to bite and injure each other’s tails, research scientists have developed a 3D camera system that captures image data of a pigtail’s posture across a herd, predicting when biting is likely to occur through its advanced algorithms.
- Drone technology to manage pastureland: Excessive urine and dung deposits threaten zed grassland, as they pose a substantial risk to soil quality and lead to increased nitrogen and phosphorus pollution. Consequently, drones have proved effective in recording the effects of urine deposition by sheep, ultimately allowing scientists to identify endangered regions and polluted production routines.
- Sexed semen and in-egg sex recognition for culling reduction: Thanks to the latest technological advancements that facilitate sexing semen prior to insemination, both animal welfare and production efficiency have seen significant improvements.
- Automated cleaning systems: These systems ensure a clean and healthy environment for livestock, automating waste management through various robotic vacuums and specialized barn cleaning machines.
- Automated feeder systems: With a plethora of sensors, programmed IoT controllers, and solenoid valves, animals are now fed various mixtures based on their nutritional needs in the right amount.
- Automated dairy installations: These systems reduce labor costs and increase milking efficiency, allowing cows to be milked without human intervention. Moreover, the data collected is very useful for breeding and genetics decisions.
Spectroscopy
Spectroscopy is a sensitive technology that helps farmers assess crop quality, monitor nutrient levels, and detect diseases early, leveraging infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, light-based analysis, ultraviolet-visual, and atomic emission spectroscopies. Furthermore, using a spectrometer has shown incredible benefits for farmers in gaining deeper insights such as nutrient content and organic matter levels regarding their crops and soil, allowing them to fertilize with more precision and enhancing the long-term fertility and productivity of the soil. By analyzing ripeness, sugar content, and defects, the hyperspectral imaging of spectrometers empowers farmers to harvest on time, improves post-harvest management, and contributes to a better overall quality of agricultural produce. In case this fast, non-destructive, and cost-effective technology appeals to your needs, you should know that https://www.avantes.com/ offers a distinct range of spectrometers, each fitting for a different task.
Laser Scarecrows
Laser scarecrows are highly effective as a means of preventing invasive birds from devouring crops and spreading disease on your breeding territories. Taking advantage of birds’ extremely delicate eyesight, a laser scarecrow has several laser modules that are optimized to the color and motion sensitivity of a bird’s eyes, displaying an extended light that moves through the canopy without harming crops. Combined with an auditory device that includes loud bangs and various noises, birds become frightened, perceiving this device as a considerable threat that they need to move away from. Unlike pesticides and other poisons that can significantly cause damage to the soil and overall local environment, laser scarecrows do not harm contaminated crops or the surroundings.
Bee Vectoring Technology
Bee Vectoring Technology (BVT) is a comprehensive solution for farmers and the agricultural industry as a whole, utilizing the power of bees as natural pollinators in the process of replacing chemical pesticides with a natural crop protection system. The BVT technology has replaced drones with commercially reared bumblebees, using them to deliver organic pesticides into flowering food crops by incorporating a dispenser system into bumblebee hives. This dispenser system consists of a powdered form of preventive crop control and a mix of products that remain attached to the lower body and legs of bees. So, when bees leave their beehive, they spread that mixture to each flower, and they pollinate, delivering highly targeted crop protection.
As consumers are becoming aware of the negative implications of using synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides, they have shown a genuine interest in organic farming practices, empowering the market potential of natural pesticides. The adoption of Bee Vectoring technology provides farmers with numerous advantages, such as improved pollination and enhanced and seasoned-long crop protection. Moreover, embracing sustainable practices in agriculture should no longer be optional, as this is a necessity for the future of our planet. Bee vectoring technology aligns with the principle of sustainable agriculture, emerging as a promising solution for a responsible ESG and a greener future.
Concluding Remarks
Although technology is sometimes perceived as a threat to humanity, with many individuals concerned about its potential to replace human capabilities, tech advancements are here to help us progress, giving us a valuable chance to improve our lives. Technological developments have elevated the agriculture industry, ushering in a new era of efficiency and sustainability, where farmers and producers are empowered by a digital, connectivity-generated transformation to overcome numerous disruptive forces.
