The global population is rapidly growing and is estimated to be around 9.5 billion by the year 2050. This has put pressure on the agricultural sector to increase productivity and maximize yields. One of the primary objectives of The Agricblong in this article is to inform the world of the need to embark on innovative sustainable practices. Leverage technological advancements to enhance productivity on the available farmland with minimal environmental impact.
Precision Agriculture Is a method in which farmers optimize inputs such as water, pesticides, and fertilizer to enhance crop productivity quality and yields. It uses advanced technology (AI especially) to generate various data and insights for the farmer to make informed decisions.
Precision Agriculture vs Traditional Agriculture.
Precision Agriculture and Traditional cultivation differ which is vastly in practice. In traditional agriculture, farmers apply the same number of pesticides, fertilizers, and irrigation across fields, in general sequences. Here all these factors and more are considered and approached with precise execution for the maximum outcome with minimal input.
Artificial Intelligence (AI in the Agricultural sector was formerly unknown (grey area) until recent years. Gone are the days when agriculture was seen as just back-breaking manual work and mechanical tools farming, nowadays it can involve automation or sophisticated software. Therefore, with the advancement in technology over the years. Artificial intelligence has proved that it is revolutionizing the face of agriculture by increasing yields and productivity with precision.
Furthermore, mobile applications like: Plantix and software that use AI in agriculture have been created to assist farmers in precise and regulated farming, By giving them the right insights on crop health, pest and disease attacks, the type of crop to be cultivated, optimal planting, timely harvesting, water management, and nutrition management.
Precision agricultural practice is a data-driven approach to farm management that can increase the productivity and overall profitability of the farm. Precision Agriculture also involves using tech tools to minimize pests and diseases and monitor plant health, through specifically targeted application of a precise number of Pesticides on a plant or field.
Technological tools used in precision agriculture include;
GPS is used for precise field mapping and guiding the farm. Other equipment around the farm is guided by GPS.
Sensors and the Internet of Things (IoT) soil moisture, weather, and crop health sensors are used to gather real-time data for the farmer. The IoT enables operate different equipment from harvesters, cutters irrigators, and sensors to autonomously carry out various given tasks precisely.
Drones and satellites. For any aerial viewing and imaging to monitor plant health and growth. Furthermore, drones can be used to deliver and apply pesticides to plants or fields.
Data management software allows the farmer to analyze data collected by the equipment and make informed decisions.
Variable rate technology software is used for the application of fertilizer, seeds, and pesticides at variable sequences and rates across the fields based on the crop need variations and area.
Note that the advances in digital technology like smartphones, artificial intelligence, Drones, and sensors that use satellites have made it possible for precision framing. Not only that, the availability and affordability of the tools from China especially in the past 5 years has now made it possible for even small-scale farmers in developing countries to carry out precision agriculture.
Advantages of AI and other Technologies in Precision Agriculture.
Sustainability
Digitization of the economy and agriculture breaks the barriers and is successfully limiting the fear of tech dependency, especially among the farming community. In terms of monitoring plant health, controlling pests & diseases, and irrigation are done with precision and accuracy. Encourage the adoption of sustainable farming practices that not only enhance productivity but also protect ecosystems and foster resilience against the impacts of climate change.
Food security.
AI Implements comprehensive solutions aimed at addressing food distribution inefficiencies and minimizing waste throughout the food supply chain. Hence, the goal is to increase productivity sustainably with precision agriculture.
Using Drones.
Drone technology is having a lasting effect on the productivity of the precision agriculture sector. Companies like Skylark Drones in India. Provide farmers with drone-powered solutions to increase productivity in a variety of farming operations. Including precision farming, livestock management, pesticide application, crop stress identification, treatment planning, plant growth monitoring, and scouting. For example; The damaging fall armyworm endangers agriculture in Africa. Nations like Malawi use drones to monitor regions and apply specific biopesticides to control the numbers and protect crop vegetation.
Using Robots.
With AI robots can now easily be made and trained on how to carry out various tasks on the farm like harvesting. Weeding and taking samples while monitoring plant growth in real-time effortlessly with precision as compared to humans.
Predicting/forecasting Weather.
Farmers always find it has to predict weather patterns due to constant climate changes and high pollution rates. The use of AI in precise agriculture helps farmers to collect and analyze data to make informed decisions of when to prepare gardens and precisely, when and what to sow and harvest.
Detection of pests and diseases.
In precision agriculture AI algorithms are used to analyze different images to find signs of any mold, rot, change in color or behaviors, and presence of insects, parasites, or any threats to plant or animal health with accuracy. The AI provides informative insights to the farmer on how to best deal with the threats with minimal inputs.
Post-harvest.
Storage packing and other post-harvest practices are done autonomously with little or no losses. AI runs software and equipment used to sort fruits accurately by size. Defects and weight thus helping farmers sort the produce in various packages for different customers at different prices. Furthermore, through utilizing AI a farmer enhances logistics and transportation systems. And ensuring that surplus food is redirected to areas in need rather than being discarded.
Challenges Facing Precision Agriculture in Africa and Solutions
Low Technology and Accessibility.
Access and Literacy: The use of technology requires advanced knowledge and skills. Which are very challenging if the farmers are not familiar with the technologies. Smallholder farmers in remote or underdeveloped areas lack access to the necessary technology. Also, the skills to effectively use and interpret the collected data.
Low Research and Poor Government Policies.
Government policies in Africa and research that has been done in this sector so far are not fundamental enough. Many farmers could get involved in approaching farming using this method. Hence the government should subsidize and make better policies. Polices to make this tech and research readily in this area to ensure sustainable agricultural practices among farmers.
Law capital for purchasing and Maintenance of the machinery.
The acquisition costs for the latest technologies are a big challenge for farmers with limited resources or access to capital.
Maintenance costs and Support: Technical issues or equipment breakdowns will always arise and disrupt farm operations. Small-scale farmers might scuffle to get funds and affordable technical support on time in such situations.
Despite the many benefits of precision agriculture, the uptake of these technologies in Nigeria has been slow. One of the main challenges is the high cost of precision farming technologies, which can be prohibitive for small-scale farmers.
Scaling and applicability.
most precision agriculture technologies in place are designed for larger, more commercial mono-crop fields. Small-scale farmers with diverse crops and smaller plots might face difficulties adapting these technologies to their unique conditions.
Future of precision agriculture.
This approach to farm management is giving very promising results. Especially in increasing productivity as inputs are optimized like never before, especially with the help of Artificial Intelligence. Many farmers in China and India are adopting this new approach to agriculture. It is proving to be sustainable and environmentally friendly. In Africa, our partners in Malawi and Nigeria have adopted this approach and are pushing to for greater heights.
In a nutshell, precision agriculture offers so many benefits to smallholder farmers. Such as enhanced efficiency, improved yields, and cost savings. It’s important to consider the limitations that might hinder its widespread adoption among the African demographic. Overcoming these limitations would require targeted efforts by the government and other stakeholders. This is to provide training, affordable technology options, and localized solutions. That fits the specific needs and challenges of smallholder farmers in the rural. Thank you for reading.
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Very insightful