It has been said repeatedly that agriculture is the backbone of the economy. It is for this reason that many countries are investing in agriculture. Over the years, technology has been used to improve the yield on a farm. More farmers are embracing technology and incorporating it into the running of their activities.
Here are some of the advancements that have made significant strides in the improving farming:
Drones in Agriculture
Drones have been used in many areas, and they are finally being used in agriculture as well. Drones come attached with sensors that help monitor crops to see if they need irrigation or pesticide spraying. They are also used in livestock farming to check on livestock in the field and their water points. Doing this ensures that the farmers and farmhands do not have to go into the field to see what is happening physically. They can do this in the comfort of their homes and figure out what needs to be done on the farm. It saves precious time and makes managing a farm easier.
Soil Moisture Sensors
Some crops need a specific amount of moisture to thrive. Overwatering them might drown the plants and cause a loss in the yield. Not giving them enough water, on the other hand, can also lead to the plants wilting. For this reason, it is vital to have software that senses the moisture content on the soil. Farmers will know when to water the garden and just how much water to use. It helps keep the crops healthy and helpful when you want to conserve water usage on the farm.
Harvest & Processing Technology
If there is one thing that takes a while to do on the farm, it has to be harvesting. When manual laborers are used, it might take days to clear a single farm. It is for this reason that tractors were made to aid with the process. These tractors are specially designed to help harvest specific crops on the farm at a faster rate. For farmers who cannot afford to buy their own, they can hire them at a fee. The amount of money spent on hiring the tractor is way lower than the money spent paying manual laborers. It also ensures that crops do not go bad in the field and lower the expected yield from the farms.
Livestock GPS Trackers
Livestock tend to wander off in the fields. Sometimes they even go as far as jumping over fences to the neighboring fields. In such situations, marking your livestock is beneficial. People would brandish their cattle in the past, but this practice was discouraged because it is animal torture. Present-day technology has introduced GPS tracking chips for livestock. Once installed, the owner can view the real-time location of their cattle. Whenever one wanders away from the herd, getting them back is easier and faster.
Farming Cameras
Big farms are often at risk of theft. Farmers are currently investing in technology that will ensure their farms stay secure at all times. Electric fences might not work due to the safety of the livestock, but security cameras have been created to handle such scenarios. Installing several of these will ensure that you can monitor your cattle without any issues. You can also add a couple of floodlights to ensure your entire farm is lit at night so that trespassers stay away.
Autonomous Farming Technology
While agricultural advancements like tractors reduce the number of people working on a farm, unmanned tech takes this even further. A computer can control some farm machinery, and this goes for drones too. The equipment will carry out its duties as per the programming instructions. It ensures that the farmhands can concentrate on other things and let the tech run the show on the farm.
Farming is being revolutionized with the addition of technology to it. One way to ensure this keeps on happening is by incorporating such tech in the farms. It ensures that product yield increases while lowering the cost of production. Every farm is different, and the owners should do their research on what works for them. It will make the investment made on the property worth it.
Paige Williams is a Public Relations Specialist representing AKRS.com. With a degree in Integrated Marketing Communication, she shares her knowledge with the readers. Can be reached at cwilliams@highervisibility.com
Need help tracking of your farm equipment, farm drones or other agricultural technology, give Farmbrite a try.