I want to emphasise the importance of modern technology in the agricultural sector before I get into the specifics of the topic. Since our population is increasing, we will require more food to feed everyone. This is where contemporary technology enters the picture. Along with hard effort, this place needs smart work. Thus, modern technology aids in the production of high-quality food in big quantities while minimising waste. We need to increase agricultural productivity with contemporary technology in order to feed our present and future generations.
Importance of Agricultural Productivity
For some countries, agriculture is the principal source of income and their economic growth is based on it. This is especially the case for developing and least developed countries. Agricultural productivity is not just vital for generating more food, it is also important to compete in the agricultural market. Those who can employ current technologies to boost their agricultural productivity will stay ahead in the agricultural market. And, those that don’t adopt current technology will see slower agricultural growth, thereby driving them to abandon the market.
With agricultural productivity, farmers can use resources efficiently. They become more productive and the value of their agricultural products grows. This leads in an increase in their demand and supply and brings higher revenues to the farmers. We also experience the impact of agricultural output in our daily lives. If food products are made available easily, then their prices fall in the market. We will have a stable food supply and can save more to purchase other things. With this, we may claim that Agricultural production will make farmers more self-sufficient.
Modern Technology and Agricultural Productivity
We know that based on the climate condition in the location, we decide which crops to cultivate. Because of this, some places can only grow specific crops and they have to import other crops. This made people dependent on others and the things were made available to them at a greater price. With modern technology, this difficulty is taken care of.
Now, let’s look at how current technology is employed to boost agricultural productivity.
Greenhouse Technology
Greenhouse farming technology is utilised to produce quality crops. It protects them from pests and environmental challenges. This technique helps to adjust the temperature, ventilation, light, and humidity to give crops a good situation for growing. The nutritional value of foods grown utilising green technology is great. Regions that have adverse weather conditions can make the most of this technology and cultivate crops at a minimal cost.
Along with regions of harsh weather conditions, regions with dynamic weather conditions are adopting this technology. It has allowed them to safeguard their crops from the regular variations in the weather. Previously, we had to depend on the season to raise crops. But now, with greenhouse technology, we can control the atmosphere and cultivate crops throughout the year.
Automation Technology
We have robots for carrying out repetitious operations on farms. Then, we have technologies like GPS and detecting systems to control automated devices. Automation technology is designing machines that do not need humans to complete functions. Some of these robots are developed to carry out fundamental farm chores while others are developed to carry out specialised farm activities such as seeding, watering, and harvesting.
We have automatic irrigation systems. These devices use sensors and monitor the watering demands of the crops. They decide the quantity of water and the timing of watering crops. We also have drones that capture field data in the form of photographs and videos. These drones keep a watch on the crops that are becoming damaged and tell the farmer. The growers can then take suitable measures to protect the crops.
Blockchain Technology
Using Blockchain technology in the Agricultural industry, we are preventing food wastage. The food supply chain has grown more transparent. Have you ever wondered where exactly the food products that you consume come from? You no longer have to keep wondering. By using this technology, now, you can track the origin of the food that you receive. This helps to prevent fraud linked to food. This technology has assisted the farmers to collect and retain crucial data such as the quality of crop and the condition of weather in which it was grown.
With Blockchain technology, information such as farm origin, transportation, food processing, storage temperature, and many more are simply available. This helps to uncover cases of food fraud. It also allows us to understand the supply chain better. When crops are harmed by extreme weather conditions, their prices increase in the market. This technology allows the consumers to comprehend the elements that influence food pricing.
Artificial Intelligence Technology
Artificial intelligence technology allows the farmer to analyse the weather. Using weather forecasting, farmers evaluate the climate situation and appropriately select when to sow the seed. It also helps to analyse soil to determine the proper insecticide to apply for the crops. It captures data that are subsequently utilised to make farming decisions. Farming decisions like water management, harvesting, choosing of crops to grow, and nutrition management are taken by evaluating the data using Artificial Intelligence.
It is not just assisting the farmers to safeguard the crops but also aiding them to boost agricultural productivity. How often do you hear folks around you talking about working on the farm? My guess is significantly less, or maybe you haven’t heard it yet. We have noticed a fall in the number of persons entering the agriculture sector. Most of them are moving towards city life. AI helps us deal with this challenge by building bots that are more productive than human labourers.
Conclusion
Now more than ever we can produce a vast quantity of quality food. Thanks to current technology, we are becoming more self-sufficient. The agriculture industry is so essential that it effects the life of the people straight from the individual level to the global level. This is why it should be our focus to boost agricultural productivity. We can do this easily by using modern technologies. Modern technology has opened up opportunities for us to generate food for our rising population and at the same time increase the quality of the food.
