We’ve come a long way since the horse and cart. We’ve even come a long way since a few short years ago when computers didn’t dominate our lives or make decisions for us.
While technology has transformed our everyday lives, its impact has undoubtedly been more noticeable in agriculture. We’ve already enjoyed a number of exciting advancements in recent years, but you can expect more to come in 2023 and beyond.
Here are some of the top tech trends already making waves in agriculture:
A Digital Approach to Maintenance and Repairs
Winery workers will still be installing Pellenc parts in their harvesters by hand, and the same goes for most machinery and industries. However, other areas of the maintenance process will be more technology-driven. Rather than venturing down to your local parts supplier, for example, you can fire up your mobile device or laptop and order them from the comfort of your farm for delivery to your property.
Even problem-solving isn’t the same as it used to be. Rather than relying on a mostly-manual process of elimination, you can use state-of-the-art diagnostics technology to highlight problems almost immediately.
More Automated Vertical Farms
We’re running out of soil, and this is putting our food supply, biodiversity, and drinking water at risk. According to the United Nations, our crop yields may be reduced by up to 10% by 2050, the equivalent of which is the loss of millions of farmland acres.
Fortunately, 2023 is looking bright for automated vertical farms. Vertical farms are designed to maximize yield and minimize natural resource use simultaneously. Being automated means we can enjoy more predictable outcomes, lower labor costs, and reduced human error.
Better Water Management
Our planet might mostly be water, but only 3% is freshwater, and just 0.5% is available for us to use. Better water management means more responsible use of this finite resource and a potentially reduced risk of water-related crop issues.
Many farmers in 2023 are looking at the latest irrigation equipment to help them manage their water supplies. Using sensors means they can detect leaks, make fast repairs, and limit loss through leakage.
Software for Farming Operations
Farming is much more complicated than it used to be, especially with industry rules and regulations, staffing requirements, and budgets. Software, such as asset operations management, will play a huge role in the average farmer’s daily life. This software will help streamline farmer operations, restructure their workflow, and give them a better insight into their financial situation and yearly outcomes.
Drone Use
While you can perform many tasks on your farm on foot or by motorbike, drones can typically achieve more in a shorter timeframe. Drone technology is improving rapidly, and farmers can now use drones to track plant and animal health, manage grass and weed growth, monitor irrigation, and even survey boundaries. Rather than spending countless hours out on the farm taking care of these tasks on foot, you can launch a drone from your home and track its progress on a mobile device.
However, farmers must also be aware of their legal obligations before launching a drone for the first time. You must register all drones weighing more than 0.55 pounds with the FAA and become an FAA-certified drone pilot to operate your craft legally.
A once labor-intensive industry is now predominantly technology-driven, and most farmers will be pleased with how helpful it can be for their bottom line. If you don’t currently utilize the technological advancements above, now might be the right time to explore your options to save time, money, and resources.