Major Advantages Of Precision Agriculture

With a rising global population comes the need to increase farming output. This has become yet another challenge for farmers, who must find ways to produce yields at a higher rate to keep up with demand.

Fortunately, precision agriculture has come to the forefront as an ally to growers all over the world. This solution will help improve crop production and alleviate concerns over global food security.

More and more, growers today are recognizing the advantages of incorporating technologies such as aerial imaging, real-time data-analysis tools, and field-mapping solutions to improve their ability to make informed decisions more quickly and upgrade productivity.

Here Are A Few Major Advantages To Precision Agriculture.

Compile And Analyze Data In Real-Time

These days, farmers are increasingly under pressure to make critical decisions on the fly. Precision agriculture can help through innovative technologies that collect large amounts of information about fields and crops, analyze them, and deliver them to growers—all in real-time.

A robot sensor is one such device, which a farmer can install throughout his field to enable continuous management of his crops and harvest. The sensor essentially records and analyzes key data about the soil, crops, and water, and immediately sends the findings to the farmer.

Real-time data is also valuable in monitoring weather conditions, which can help farmers anticipate—and effectively overcome—issues like the adverse effects of extreme hot or cold weather.

Reduce Water Waste And Improve Crop Management

Drones and manned aircraft are also becoming widely used, particularly those with cameras mounted to them. For instance, when a drone flies over a field, the camera can capture dozens of high-resolution images in a matter of seconds. From there, it provides farmers with instant aerial views of the field that they would not normally see on the spot, informing them of any problem areas that need to be addressed immediately.

Similarly, aerial spectral imaging for precision agriculture is proving to be a useful “eye in the sky” that helps farmers manage crop production more efficiently throughout the entire year. This technology involves manned aircraft equipped with specialized camera systems that capture highly accurate images and data at specific wavelengths. The findings enable growers to employ biological and mathematical modeling to cross-reference the data to the actual physical state of the area, such as plant conditions, water levels, and nitrogen and potassium content.

Based on the images he receives, a farmer can analyze soil fertility and hydration, identify insects and weeds, optimize the use of fertilizers and pesticides, and estimate crop yield.

Maximize Resources And Labor

Precision agriculture can also let farmers maximize their available resources without adding extra labor. One way is through a mapping tool that can let growers monitor field conditions with the goal of developing an optimal planting schedule. They can base their farming decisions on the findings received from the device, such as the ideal crop to plant at a certain time of the year, how much fertilizer to apply—and when—and which part of the field may require hydration.

Produce Food To Feed The Entire World

Perhaps the most significant benefit of precision agriculture is its potential to help farmers overcome the threat to global food security. Growers can implement the various technologies already discussed to monitor and manage crop development. Other innovations include engineered lighting that develops technologically-enhanced vegetables, as well as biological pest control, which entails using living organisms to control and kill pests without the use of chemicals or pesticides.

It’s safe to say that farmers now have more incentive to implement precision agriculture in their daily operations. With pressure now greater to deliver higher yield, an investment in innovative agricultural technology would be well worth it when it ultimately delivers increased profits, fosters a healthier environment, and promotes sustainable farming.