When the average person thinks of farming, they probably think about embracing traditional values, hand-held tools, and a fundamental connection to the land, which is difficult to describe.
While that may have been the exact case many years ago, farming has evolved more than most people realise. Farmers are embracing technology more than ever, enabling them to achieve the highest yields and potential.
Farming methods are more refined, less manual, and labor-intensive, advancing each year, becoming more prominent and better versions of themselves. What is causing those changes? Technology.
Below are the top five ways technology has improved the farming industry:
1. Online Resources
The internet can be a terrifying yet wonderful experience; farmers should not feel left out!
Technological advancements have permeated every industry, and agriculture is no exception. Technology is helping farmers by offering unprecedented access to knowledge and experience, making farming more straightforward, cheaper, and efficient.
The internet is filled with production and planning tools that help farmers make better decisions about their future crops. Several farming forums allow farmers to exchange ideas and seek advice from experienced people.
2. High-Tech Tractors
Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the farming industry.
Machine learning and self-driving tractors are saving farmers impressive amounts of money and reducing environmental impact simultaneously.
These modern machines operate without a driver, and their high-tech systems allow them to spray chemicals with pinpoint accuracy and control, among other things.
Smart tractors are expensive investments, so ensure your business can afford one before spending thousands of pounds.
3. Agricultural Drones
Agricultural or farming drones enable real-time coverage of crops and livestock.
These drones enable farmers to inspect and monitor their fields and flocks, and they provide valuable environmental information to make informed and data-driven choices about crop health, farm management, and other vital aspects of farming.
Drones also allow farmers to monitor the far reaches of their land and compile detail-rich, three-dimensional maps of fields and growing areas.
Agricultural drones are poised to play an impressively transformative role in the future of farming.
4. Sensors
Farmers increasingly use high-tech sensors to understand and support their crops at a micro level. These sensors provide critical data for farmers to adapt their approaches in real-time based on gathered environmental factors.
Sensors, like GPS or optical, are used for precision agriculture to determine position, process plant colour, and provide moisture content values.
Sensors can monitor everything from soil temp to clay content, enabling farmers to use their irrigation more efficiently and lower costs.
5. Reduced Environmental Impact
With modern farming tools and techniques, farmers can boost productivity while accurately assessing growth and soil needs.
By using precision agriculture, farmers can use specialised software to closely track yields, assess growing conditions, and use complex algorithms to determine how much fertilizer and water is needed on specific crops.
That conserves resources, reducing the environmental impact by only applying chemicals to the needed plants.
To End
Do not shy away from technology.
Many old-school farmers feel they do not need fancy or high-tech equipment and only realise how much they risk their farms’ success when it is practically too late.
Instead, approach this subject with an open mind and a willingness to embrace change where it counts.
