Information technology in agriculture is within reach to enter a sea change in current farming practices with regard to efficiency, productivity, and profitability. Here are four ways farmers can leverage technology to enhance their farming practices.
- Precision Agriculture
Benefits:
Optimizes Input Use and Reduces Waste
Increases Crop Yields and Quality
Enhances Resource Efficiency
How to Implement:
Use GPS and GIS mapping to create detailed field maps.
Use drones with attached sensors to track crop health and field conditions. - Smart Irrigation Systems
Benefits:
Reduces Water Usage and Costs
Provides Precise Water Delivery
Promotes Plant Health and Improves Yields
How to Implement:
Install drip irrigation or sprinkler irrigation with automated controls.
Schedule irrigation using soil moisture sensors and weather data.
- Farm Management Software
Benefits:
Streamline farm operations and record-keeping
Enhance decision-making and planning
Facilitate compliance with regulations
How to Implement:
Select farm management software that will serve your purpose, such as AgriWebb, FarmLogs, or Trimble Ag Software.
Keep crop and livestock data, inventory management, and activity planning updated through the software.
- Automated Equipment
Benefits:
Reduces labor costs thereby bringing efficiency
Better precision and consistency
Reduces workload and thereby reduces physical strain on people
How to Implement:
Invest in automated tractors. Planters and harvesters
Use robotics for milkling, weeding and sorting.
These technologies, if embraced, would greatly improve the operations efficiency, lower farmers’ costs, and hence make them more competitive in the increasingly competitive farming business.