Introduction to AgTech
New technology is nothing new to farmers. It feels like there is a continuous flow of new products, services and agriculture technology promises to help farmers improve yields or reduce losses. But with the advancement of digital technologies and the ability to easily capture, integrate, and report key details for your operation digitalizing your farm is no longer a nice to have. Leveraging digital tools to help with your farm management is one of the key ways that you can reliably and consistently understand your operation and measure its performance.
If you're a farmer, you know that agricultural technology and digital agriculture have transformed the way we work. In this post, we'll explain what these terms mean and how they can help your farm become more efficient and profitable.
What is Agricultural Technology (AgTech)?
Agricultural technology is a major new trend in farming, ranching, and farm management. It's also one of the most exciting, as it can help farmers be efficient, more profitable, more productive, and have a higher standard of safety in agriculture.
It's no secret that the world population is growing and that farming practices must change to keep up with demand. Agriculture has always used technology to work smarter, just take the aqueduct for example. It brought water easily from one place to another. In modern society, it's not just the number of mouths to bring water to or feed that is increasing; people are also demanding more protein in their diets.
Since protein comes from both meat and plant sources this gives us an opportunity to work smarter to produce those products better for that market. That's where agricultural technology comes in.
This technology can help farmers meet the growing demand for food while also protecting the environment and conserving resources. There are many ways to do this; some of them are already being implemented, while others have yet to be developed.
The beauty of AgTech is that it reaches into every corner of the agricultural industry; from innovative livestock ear tag technology to soil moisture monitors to artificial intelligence pollination solutions, AgTech is diverse in its impact on modern agriculture.
What is Digital Agriculture?
Digital agriculture is part of the AgTech trend. Agricultural technology is a broad category of tools, including drones and sensors, that help farmers and ranchers improve their operations and farm management practices. Digital agriculture is a specific subset of agricultural technology that uses sensors and remote monitoring systems, like IoT devices to collect data from fields and use it to assist with decision-making.
This information can help farmers determine where to apply fertilizer or herbicides, how much water is available in the soil, streamline animal measurement or health checks, and much more. The result is more efficient production of crops that are healthier and more resistant to pests.
The technology behind digital agriculture has been around for years, but more recently its potential in agriculture has been realized. As the cost of sensors and other equipment drops, farmers are increasingly able to afford the latest technologies.
How do AgTech and Digital Agriculture Help Farmers?
Both AgTech and digital agriculture exist to help farmers improve their operations, reduce costs, and help farmers be more profitable.
AgTech does this by automating manual labor tasks that are time-consuming or difficult for people to do on their own.
Digital agriculture uses data to make better decisions about how crops should be planted when they should be harvested, and how much water they need throughout the growing season. It also helps farmers track yields so they know whether or not they're making a profit off of each crop they grow - which can help them decide whether or not it's worth continuing with that particular variety next year (or planting something else instead).
The idea behind AgTech and digital agriculture is that by using data to make better decisions, farmers can increase their profits. This can be done by reducing costs or increasing yields - or both.
How AgTech solutions can help farmers be more productive
AgTech solutions can help farmers be more productive by automating manual labor tasks and allowing them to increase yields by making better use of available resources.
Examples of AgTech solutions that can help farmers be more productive include:
Automated irrigation systems, allow you to monitor water usage and apply it only where needed (and in the right amounts).
GPS-based crop sensors that monitor soil health and plant growth rate, allowing you to make adjustments based on what's happening in real time.
Virtual reality (VR) systems allow you to walk through your fields, see what's happening in real-time, and allow you to make changes based on what you see.
How digital agriculture solutions make farm management easier
Digital agriculture solutions make it easier for farmers to manage crop yields and inputs (such as seeds, chemicals, and water) through remote monitoring systems that collect data from fields and use it to assist with decision-making.
Some examples of this include:
Remote monitoring systems: These tools can be used to measure environmental factors such as soil moisture or temperature at different points throughout the field. This information can then be combined with historical data from previous years' harvests, allowing farmers to determine when they need to apply additional fertilizer or water their crops in order for them to thrive.
Data collection: Through connected sensors that are placed on tractors or other machinery used during planting season - or even just on smartphones - farmers can collect valuable information about how much seed was planted in each row of their fields so they know how much fertilizer needs to be added later on down the line. They'll also know if any pests are present and can take the necessary preventative measures.
AgTech and Farm Management Software
One of the most useful examples of agricultural technology is Farm Management Software (FMS). Companies like Farmbrite offer FMS Systems that help farmers run their businesses more efficiently and effectively.
From keeping track of livestock and crops on your farm to creating reports that give you invaluable data that can be used to make future decisions about your land use and business, FMS is one way that AgTech has revolutionized the industry.
The ease with which you can access and use FMS systems is another benefit of the software. Most are web and mobile app-based, making them easy to pull up on a laptop, tablet, or smartphone when working in the field.
Further, you can integrate your FMS with other software programs, such as GPS tracking tools, soil analysis devices, and weather monitoring tools.
Digital Agriculture and AgTech Can Improve your Farm's Efficiency
Agricultural technology is a major new trend in farming, but it's not just about the latest high-tech gadgets or gizmos - it’s about how those tools can help you improve your farm's efficiency, reduce costs, and make more money.
Agricultural technology has two main strands: digital agriculture and AgTech. Digital agriculture is all about using data to improve operations; it includes things like sensors on tractors that tell farmers when their fields need watering or fertilizing. This allows them to be proactive instead of reactive when it comes to keeping crops healthy and productive (and making sure they don't waste money).
Agri-businesses may use drones for aerial monitoring of crop health; meanwhile, consumers will have access via their smartphones or other devices through apps that alert them when food they've purchased at local grocery stores was produced locally - and give them information about where exactly those products came from!
Final Thoughts on AgTech
Whether it's through digital agriculture or AgTech, there are many ways that new technologies can make your farm more efficient and profitable. We hope this article has given you a better idea of what the future holds for agriculture.
Check out Farmbrite’s Farm Management Software to see how AgTech and digital agriculture can make a difference on your farm.