IoT.nxt Smart Agriculture
by IoT.nxt
Smart farming and technology: Moving beyond marrying mobile with mud
Smart agriculture is the integration of the current farming landscape and the Internet of Things technology with the aim of offering high-precision crop control, useful data collection, and automated farming techniques.Smart agriculture is the integration of the current farming landscape and the Internet of Things technology with the aim of offering high-precision crop control, useful data collection, and automated farming techniques. Applications of smart agriculture
Precision farming
Precision farming is essentially the application of anything that increases the amount of control and accuracy that farmers have when it comes to raising livestock and growing crops. In this component of smart farming, sensors, control systems, robotics, autonomous vehicles, automated hardware and variable rate technologies are implemented to encourage better and more precise management of these particular farming practices. Essentially, the end game of precision farming is to improve agricultural yield and reduce potential environmental risks. Even the wrath of mother nature is challenged by IoT. Further benefits of precision farming include:
- Monitoring the soil and plants - achieved by placing sensors that provide data on electrical conductivity, temperature, radiation, nitrates, evapotranspiration and leaf and soil moisture;
- Gather real-time data - implementing sensors allows for the continuous monitoring of specific parameters and will offer real-time data ensuring an updated status of the field and plant parameters at all times;
- Provide better insights into decision making;
- Reduce wastage and costs;
- Provide better records for sales and succession;
- Precision technologies can be integrated with farm management software to increase the ease of activities and improve farm productivity.