Sustainably Expanding Production with Precision Farming

Sustainability and climate change are at the top of the global agriculture and food production agenda. Introducing automation and better technology in this industry can improve production sustainably.

FREMONT, CA: The global food supply is stressed due to growing inflation, resource scarcity, and global warming. According to new studies, automation and robotics can change the course of events. Agriculture and food production is in great flux, just as many other businesses. Climate change and sustainability are top priorities. Land usage and agricultural emissions are the two main causes of global warming. Water consumption is a hot problem in places experiencing drought, such as California, Germany, and China. The availability of labor, the rise in global production, price inflation, and even Russia's weaponization of food supply are all occurring globally. Customers and growers must collaborate to change how we demand, consume, and supply food in the future. For instance, to meet rising demand and lessen unsustainable environmental consequences, we must cut consumption of beef, lamb, and pork in favor of emissions-friendly products like chicken or vegetarian substitutes. We need to rethink logistics, consumer awareness, and composting to conserve more food because one-third, or greater in industrialized markets, of the world's food supply is wasted yearly.

The existing industry needs to be equipped to handle the needs of expanding population and an endangered planet. There is, however, a method to guarantee a healthy tomorrow.

Expanding production: Similar to other sectors, technology is a critical facilitator for addressing these urgent issues in agriculture. It is critical to recognize that use cases differ significantly between regions, farm sizes, crop varieties, and techniques. For instance, a commercial US maize, wheat, and soybeans farmer may optimize crop inputs and production forecasts to manage slim profit margins and maintain financial stability. Small-holder farmers in China need help implementing fundamental farming techniques like automation to increase production. Family-run farmers in the Middle East probably need more access to markets, funding, and risk management instruments like crop insurance. However, European farmers with easy access to markets and efficient logistics may still need to be convinced to employ technology to expand their businesses.

Technology offers a chance to save the planet by allowing people to own and utilize knowledge to benefit farmers and society. Precision agriculture can achieve this by monitoring, measuring, and reacting to crop variability and its inputs. For instance, we can improve production at the level of individual animals thanks to the data that precision farming creates, leading to higher yields, better quality, and safer, more sustainable food. It enables us to repurpose waste streams in the food supply chain, benefiting the environment and food. It can locate items with additional value, such as high-content protein powder made from brewery waste, and combine producers, processors, and merchants to improve transparency while lowering losses. Precision agriculture has the potential to alter food production and consumption while also improving the health of both individuals and the environment as a whole.

Automating farm practices: Automation and robotics are the two most crucial technologies to precision agriculture solutions. For instance, automation of pre-harvest, harvest assist, and post-harvest operations significantly influences yield in fruits and vegetables. This is particularly important since rising inflation and regulation put more on grower input prices and management. Studies anticipate that automation will shift manual human work to more complex, technologically oriented jobs. According to a recent crop automation research, 50 percent of grower respondents said they had staff members responsible for integrating automation technologies.

Moreover, the commercialization of harvest automation has made notable strides. Data from the poll show that automation start-ups have grown their investment, the number of machines installed, and the number of paying clients since last year. They have also aided in addressing concerns with worker availability. Unfortunately, automation is unable to address every problem at once. For instance, due to economic benefits, strawberries have been produced from Germany and France to Turkey, Poland, and a few African nations. Nevertheless, this may increase logistical expenses, negating labor gains while increasing harmful emissions.

Before they are adopted widely, smart farming solutions must be economical, simple to use, and beneficial to commercial and small-scale farms. Governments in these areas will need to encourage innovators and regional leaders to promote sustainability because it is doubtful that Western solutions would apply to small holding markets in China and Africa. As a result, we need to figure out how to encourage innovation in all markets. Similarly, it is of utmost importance to assist businesses in navigating the complex environment and start-ups in comprehending market demands and expanding.