As technological advancements in agriculture meet the growing demand for farm automation, it has become increasingly popular among farmers. Agritech aims to make farming more efficient and increase crop production. In this post, we are to provide you with comprehensive information regarding new innovations in agritech and answer all your questions.
What is agriculture technology?
Agriculture technology or agritech is the use of technology in agriculture that aims to improve yield, efficiency, and profitability. In other words, agriculture technology is the tools and machinery used to improve crop productivity and increase production. These forms of technology have a long history in farming and have been changing over time. There are different types of agricultural technology for different farms.
Read more: Organic Production
Types of agritech
As mentioned above, agritech plays a crucial role in the future of agriculture. Agriculture technology is divided into different types. Here are the main types of agritech.
Research-based technology
When it comes to research-based technology, the first thing that comes to mind is Green Revolution. Indeed, applying a set of research techniques has increased agriculture productivity over the years. The green revolution saved millions of forests and dramatically impacted agricultural life.
Food processing and storage
Many farmers lack storage and need to sell their products immediately after harvesting. A vast setback is that they have to sell the products at the lowest price, and there is no chance of a significant income. The good news is that safe irradiation practices increase crop longevity, giving farmers more time to sell their crops.
Alternative energy sources
In some villages, electricity shortage is still a significant problem. Alternative energies can help solve this problem. Applying renewable energy sources like wind and solar can effectively improve crop productivity in poor villages and help protect the environment.
Advantages of agriculture technology
Indeed, the future of agritech is bright and provides farmers with a great opportunity to enjoy improved crop yield and increase their revenue. Agritech offers the following benefits:
- Reducing negative effects on the ecosystem
- Eliminating chemical pest control methods
- Increasing crop productivity
- Facilitating transportation
- Helping with online trading
- Improving soil fertility
- Decreasing water consumption
- Helping farmers change their manual sowing method to mechanical.
- Controlling the efforts of farmers and helping them manage their time efficiently
Importance of agriculture technology
Farmers no longer have to apply water, fertilizer, and pesticides on their farms. Agritech allows farmers to treat plants differently. Indeed, robotic technology provides more reliable monitoring and management. Besides, it gives producers better control over plant and animal production. Agriculture technology allows farming to be more efficient, safer, and more environmentally friendly.
New innovations of agritech
These days, technology and sensibility are more attractive than you might think. Technological developments have created many innovations in the agricultural sector. The most common innovations of agritech include the following:
Yield monitoring and estimation
Years ago, farmers used manual methods to obtain data on the size of the fruit or the number of yields. Thanks to technological advancements, farmers do not need to count crops or use other traditional methods. In other words, the emergence of technology has automated yield monitoring and calculation.
IoT in farming
The Internet of things, or IoT, is a system that helps people live and work smarter and have complete control over their lives. It also provides businesses with a real-time outlook on how their systems work. Moreover, IoT aims to reduce labor costs and automate processes. This technology also helps farmers to manage pests through data insights.
Smart agriculture machines
Machines have been widely used in the agricultural sector. With technological advances, most machines are equipped with automated systems. Smart agricultural machines help farmers to drive their tractors and machines without leaving their houses.
Drone technology
Drones are automated aircraft that fly over a specific area. Drones enter the agricultural area and take photos or videos while flying over the fields. Drones and satellites help scan crops and fields easily.
Water management technology
Irrigation is a vital method of providing water to lands. As the old irrigation methods wasted two-thirds of the water, farmers are no longer interested in using them. Innovation and technology in agriculture offer farmers more sustainable ways to provide water to plants.
Farm management software
Farm management software provides real-time data like a digital checklist to help farmers keep track of their daily activities. This monitoring and reporting software can help farmers to make better decisions throughout all operations.
Eco-friendly plant production
The presence of innovations such as agricultural robots helps prevent the application of chemical pesticides. As pesticides harm the environment in many ways, using new methods helps to get rid of pests and take pest control to the next level.
Disadvantages of agricultural technology
Although agriculture technology has become increasingly popular among farmers, it comes with its own risks and challenges. The most common disadvantages of agritech go as follows:
- Machines overuse can damage the environment
- Most of the farmers do not have enough knowledge to handle modern machines
- It may reduce the fertility of the land
- It is expensive
- It can lead to job loss
On the whole, agritech has both advantages and disadvantages. However, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages regarding crop productivity and environmental protection.
Frequently asked questions about agritech
As reports show, the latest agriculture technology includes farming software and online data, satellite imagery, drone, etc.
Agriculture technology is essential for creating a more sustainable farming approach. It also contributes to crop productivity and increases production.
Agriculture technology aims to improve farming through information monitoring and analysis of farming products.
Last Word
To sum up, innovation is more important in modern agriculture than ever before. Major technology innovations have focused on farming automation and robotics. Agriculture technology aims to improve crop productivity and increase crop production. As farmers sustain more interest in using innovative methods these days, we discussed the details regarding new innovations in agritech in this post.