The agricultural sector is rapidly developing to represent the modern world in its working methods, and is taking advantage of new technologies to become more cost-effective and save precious time and resources. Outlined below are five key ways farmers are moving with the times to get the most out of their land, whilst giving back to the environment through sustainable practices.
It’s no secret that the world’s population is growing at an exceptionally fast rate which is set to continue in the coming years. This means that crops will be in higher demand and farmers need to find new ways of increasing their yield over the same amount of land. How can they do this? Through the marriage of science and technology, the DNA of crop seeds can be altered to not only allow for produce to be resistant to pests and insects but also to have a higher nutritional value.
Biotechnology has been around for thousands of years, with the mixing of yeast and flour to make bread as an early example. However, as technology advances, we have discovered more sophisticated ways of altering our materials to make crop yields more successful year upon year. As a result of this, this is being used more effectively too.
In addition, genetically modified foods can be altered to be more resistant to weather issues such as flooding and drought which are more common as a result of climate change. They can also be changed to be resistant to certain chemicals which helps keep the soil healthy, as well as the crop.
Precision farming is a relatively new term which refers to the use of technology within agriculture to allow farmers to make better, more well-informed decisions to maximise efficiency and produce the best crops. One way of achieving this is through the use of drones, which provide a unique point of view over the land and help farmers perform the same tasks quicker, and with greater accuracy.
Here are some of the main advantages of drone use within farming:
Soil analysis - data can be extracted from aerial photographs which provide valuable information about the quality of the soil below using remote sensing cameras. This quickly and easily informs the farmer of the most effective places to grow crops, and allows for the development of crop mapping.
It offers real-time data on livestock
This technology allows farmers to monitor their livestock from anywhere, meaning they can complete other important tasks whilst remotely obtaining important information.
Surveying and mapping
Due to the intelligent technology within drones, large scale mapping and surveying can be done in a fraction of the time it would take a human to achieve the same task. Areas of concern can quickly be identified and managed, meaning farmers can optimise their land and make appropriate choices. The drone cameras use infrared light to identify malnourished areas which allows farmers to address these areas promptly.
Accurate crop spraying
Drones can calculate precisely the correct amount of pesticides to spray on crop areas and distribute them to a greater degree of accuracy without manual labour. Flight paths can be programmed to allow the drone to distribute chemicals on the required parts only, which saves money in wasting some of the product on crops which don’t require it, and is safer for the preservation of the other crops.
Artificial Intelligence is something that is being increasingly used to make our lives easier, and this includes on the farm. Computer algorithms can be implemented to assess the ripeness of a crop yield from its colour.
Human judgement isn’t always right; AI can alleviate the workload of farmers who would previously have had to check each item for ripeness. This is labour-intensive and is a less effective allocation of resources. Through the power of AI, farmers can put their energies into tasks which are reserved only for human abilities.
The deep learning nature of AI means that their database will only get more accurate, the more data that is collected. As well as ripeness, this technology can also be used to detect plant diseases and pests which give it versatile uses and functions, making investment in this technology cost-effective.
In the current socio-economic climate, labour is a scarce resource and AI technology can help mitigate this labour gap to allow the full capacity of the farm to continue working. This acts as a long-term investment into the efficiency of agriculture which is key to hitting projected crop targets. This is particularly important given the anticipated level of demand to come in the next few years.
There’s never been a more important time to consider our impact on the planet than in 2023, especially for agriculturalists.
Freshwater is an extremely scarce resource. Did you know that 96% of the Earth’s water is salt water from seas and oceans? That leaves only 4% freshwater, and a large portion of that is used within the agricultural sector. Farmers have a responsibility to use their water allocation effectively, whilst reducing as much waste water as possible.
In 2023, there is a strong focus on farmers managing their water consumption in a more effective way. Competition is likely to increase significantly over coming years, and as water is already a scarce resource so it is critical to keep waste to a minimum.
How can agriculturalists manage their water better?
Harvesting rainwater is an excellent way to make use of natural resources, and repurposing it aids the efficiency of water management. At Cotterill Civils, we have an extensive range of above ground rainwater harvesting tanks which are available in multiple colours and come with a 10 year guarantee. Our HDPE tanks are 100% rust proof making it durable as well as sustainable.
Click here to view our rainwater harvesting range.
Installing sensors is another fantastic way of integrating AI technology into farming practices to help improve efficiency. If there is a leak or problem with water pipes, the sensors will automatically detect the issue and report it. This means that causes of waste water are identified in a much quicker time frame which means the process of fixing the issue is kept to a minimum. In turn, this reduces water loss as systems can function properly, and leakages are automatically detected which eliminates the need to check the pipes using manual labour.
Biodiversity numbers have plummeted in recent years, largely due to areas of land being used for other purposes such as new housing. Keeping our ecosystems thriving is a key factor to combating climate change, which is why practising rewilding is becoming a big trend in 2023.
Generally speaking, agriculturalists care about nature and the environment due to the type of industry they work in, which involves nurturing the land and caring for livestock. In an attempt to restore areas of land to their natural state, rewilding is the process of making ecosystems self-sufficient again.
A large part of this process involves planting new trees to mitigate the CO2 levels in the atmosphere produced by climate change, whilst generating oxygen back into the atmosphere. Planting trees and expanding woodland areas encourages biodiversity and creates new habitats for all of the flourishing species to thrive in.
Addressing these climate issues has never been more important than in 2023. With the human population set to continue rising, it is more important than ever to consider not only the environmental implications of agriculture but the practical ones too. As technology continues to develop, farmers are keen to implement smart systems to reduce manual labour practises and improve the success of their crop yield.
Here at Cotterill Civils, we have been farming on Hermitage Farm for over 100 years. We understand the importance of efficient and sustainable farming practices, and hope to continue to work toward shared environmental goals in 2023.
For enquiries about any of our products, or for any further information please contact 0121 351 3230.
