The use of technology has the ability to make almost any job simpler and more accurate, particularly in farming. Persistent labor shortages and navigating challenges in weather mean that farm workers must do more with less human intervention.
Fortunately, agricultural technology can meet many of the needs of the modern farm. Smart technology provides information so that farmers can make data-driven decisions. Centralized controls minimize the workers needed to monitor and maintain equipment. With these tools and more, farmers can increase efficiency, sustainability and production.
Smart Sensors
The implementation of smart sensors allows farmers to minimize water consumption while monitoring soil conditions in real-time. Sensors provide a range of data for watering systems, such as temperature, humidity and moisture level. With this data, farms can adjust settings to accommodate changes in weather with the touch of a button. Farmers can also use this data to detect leaks or other problems with the system, so they avoid wasting water or damaging crops.
Automated Irrigation
Automated irrigation systems remove a significant portion of the human workload of maintaining an established field of growing produce. Automated irrigation involves the use of sensors to identify the best watering for the crops, and watering systems to provide the exact amount of water at an ideal time of day.
Farmers can adjust these systems in real-time from a smart device. With the extra time, farm workers can focus on attending to other parts of the growing and harvesting processes.
Centralized System Controls
Smart hubs and the Internet of Things provide key benefits to farms in the efficient use of farming equipment. Small farms in particular may only have a single piece of a type of equipment, highlighting the importance of centralized controls for the tools and systems.
Centralized systems connect devices to a smart hub that provides data about the use and efficiency of each piece of equipment. This data allows farmers to identify failing components or schedule maintenance at an ideal time to minimize downtime.
Blockchain
Maintaining the safety and traceability of food coming from farms is paramount, which blockchain can ensure. Blockchain uses a decentralized system of data management, so that the data remains available despite system outages or possible tampering.
Blockchain is becoming a key component of establishing safe food practices and providing transparency to consumers, which increases public trust in the ability of the system to handle contamination and other problems.
Drone Monitoring
Large farms provide too much space for farmers to inspect the crops in a timely manner, opening opportunities for aerial inspections via drones. Drones can move over a large area in a short period of time, providing precision mapping that farm workers can view as part of their routine duties.
This monitoring gives a regular check of the state of equipment and crops, so that farmers can identify crop health problems and address them quickly.
Sustainable Breeding
Unpredictable weather patterns and increasing concerns about the security of the food supply identify a need for food breeding programs to meet these challenges. Changing temperature and precipitation patterns put stress on plants that are not bred to resist these fluctuations.
With cutting-edge breeding technology, farmers can plant crops that are more durable in harsher environments. These improvements can increase output and sustainability of the farm over time.
Urban Farming
Increasing housing development in former farmland, as well as growing populations in urban spaces, highlights the importance of urban farming options. Space is at a premium in urban areas, calling for tools such as vertical farming.
This approach maximizes farming capacity and output by growing upward more than outward. Urban farming also minimizes transportation needs from the farm to processing facilities and sales outlets, reducing transportation time and costs.
Metal Casting
The precision needed for the farms of the future relies on custom systems that meet the needs of the soil, the crops, the systems and the people. Farmers who try to fit premade components into a custom system may lose efficiency and time sourcing the right products for the job. Metal casting can resolve this problem by creating new parts to specification for each farmer.
Custom components, such as shell mold casting, allow farmers to maximize their production and harvesting with durable tools that address their concerns.
Revolutionizing Farming
Technology is revolutionizing the farming industry and at an important time. Implementing smart technology to control watering systems can save water and preserve crops during changing weather patterns.
There are also other key tools that can help farmers to create and monitor systems for proper operation, ensuring a safe food supply. By integrating these tools, farmers can increase crop yields while maintaining high system efficiency.
