Agriculture and IoT technology

Why agriculture is another major area of IoT disruption–sensors that monitor humidity, temperature, precipitation and crop growth are expected to increase the efficiency of traditional skills.

It is clear that on the increasingly threatened planet, more and more people need smarter food production methods, especially when humble bees (an insect that pollinates one-third of fruits and vegetables) face dangerous situations.

It is in this context that needs to increase food production and protect insects, the Internet of Things is expected to promote future agricultural development. For example, an Irish startup is monitoring the bees through a networked sensor to increase the number of bees.

But this is only the beginning – the versatility of the sensor and the availability of the Internet of Things (see sensors) bring great potential to future agriculture. Next, let's explore what the future of agriculture will look like with the help of technology.

Why is today?

It is not surprising that agriculture has been using traditional practices in growing crops and raising livestock. However, there is too much waste in agriculture, and this situation needs to change as the global environment deteriorates.

If the field continues to produce food in the current way, more land will be needed to feed more people. It is estimated that by 2030, the world population will reach 8.5 billion, and will reach 9.7 billion by 2050, and will exceed 11 billion by 2100. Today, 1 billion people live mainly in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, relying on livestock for food and livelihoods. Globally, livestock provide 25% protein intake and 15% dietary energy.

In agriculture, there is too much waste and inefficiency. For example, 44% of harvested crops are lost before human consumption. In addition, livestock grazing accounts for 26% of the Earth's land, while 33% of the arable land is used for livestock feed production – the livestock itself accounts for 7% of total greenhouse gas emissions. This is an area that has not yet been modernized.

Why do you want to cultivate intelligently?

The Internet of Things provides solutions to agricultural efficiency issues. Sensors are cheaper than ever, and equipment is better than ever – with the click of a button, farmers can monitor the entire process.

Most of these smart farms have wireless sensor networks installed to increase efficiency and effectiveness. This helps to assess farmland variables such as soil conditions, atmospheric conditions, and the health of crops or livestock. In addition, they can be used to evaluate and control variables such as temperature, humidity, vibration or shock during product transportation. This is just the beginning, and intelligent farming applications have shown promise in professional software, robotics, data analysis, enhanced location services and connectivity.

The increase in IoT solutions in agriculture is expected to bring about two major changes. First, precision agriculture will create a more controllable and accurate industry. With the data, farmers will be able to provide accurate treatments for their crops or livestock to maximize the use of all resources. Second, automation, data will be able to better monitor and create the ideal conditions. In short, additional data on all aspects of agricultural operations will enable farmers to accurately monitor conditions and automate as needed.

Moreover, the field seems to be slowly, but certainly embraces applications based on IoT technology. BI Intelligence predicts that by 2020, the number of installed IoT devices will reach 75 million units, an average annual increase of 20%. It is expected that by 2025, the global smart agriculture market will triple in size to reach $15.3 billion. So what is the next step?

Reach there

As the global climate changes further, different agricultural winners and losers will emerge. For example, a United Nations report noted that agricultural production is expected to be most pronounced in West Africa and India, where agricultural production may fall by as much as 3%. These areas will require more effective practices, and this is where smart agriculture comes into play.

Weather conditions, soil quality, crop growth or livestock health – data can track agricultural operations and employee performance and equipment efficiency. In the case of a surge in population and climate change, there is a need to reduce production risks, which can be achieved by improving business efficiency and production control.

Of course, a better farming process is only half the battle to eliminate agricultural waste and the resulting carbon footprint. Consumer behavior must improve as the industry grows. Overeating is an important factor in the loss of the food system – as much as the loss caused by consumer waste. Therefore, although agriculture does need to bring modernization into practice, consumers need to be more conscious in terms of personal consumption.

To date, most IoT agricultural projects have focused on data collection for humidity, solar intensity, crop yields, and other variables. However, agriculture faces the same challenges as automotive, aerospace, rail, marine and healthcare, as the possible environmental scenarios to consider are almost limitless. This requires the help of point-to-point IoT technology, not just data-driven technology.

Take a self-driving tractor or harvester as an example. The challenge is that these vehicles may encounter obstacles that they cannot identify or circumvent. In order to solve such incidents, autonomous vehicles can "call" remote operators, who can remotely connect through the camera, visually inspect the scene, and guide the vehicle to the road again. In addition to data-based IoT, such systems require additional technology.

Data collection and aggregation helps to understand the situation on the ground, but peer-to-peer IoT and its low latency control will unlock the potential for full automation. Despite this, various IoT solutions are expected to modernize agriculture. As climate conditions continue to change, consistent irrigation, fertilization or pest control will be indispensable – this is necessary for tomorrow's and future food supplies.

Lily Hathaway, editor at Kynix Electronic a href= "http://www.apogeeweb.net/ "Kynix Electronic from 2018 to present.