July 2024

AI in Agriculture: How Technology Can Transform Modern Farming

AI is revolutionizing the world in innumerable ways. From semi-autonomous vehicles to preventative health care, automation shows substantial promise in changing our lives for the better in nearly every way.

However, AI is not fixed to a specific domain–each industry sector can use these cutting-edge innovations to enhance operational efficiency.

Perhaps to your surprise, AI can apply directly to agricultural practices.

Automation in the field can aid in plant disease management, irrigation, harvest sorting, and so much more. While initial startup and implementation costs can pose hurdles for some farmers, many find the considerable rewards are worth the financial risk.

Below we’ll explore the advantages and applications of AI in agriculture while also considering the potential challenges farmers face during the integration process.

Why Is AI Thriving in the Agricultural Industry?

Artificial intelligence has already planted deep roots in technological, medical, and creative operations. Professionals have found simple AI tools like ChatGPT can monumentally boost productivity. More advanced applications can pave the way for personalized wellness plans, improved patient experiences, rapid illness detection, and, in theory, longer lifespans.

But, what about agriculture?

As the global population climbs, tillable ground is becoming increasingly scarce. Farmers are left scrambling to identify ways to address food shortages while navigating smaller landscapes. Is cultivation doomed to deflate beneath the weight of restricted space, climate change, and poor soil quality–or, could AI possibly deliver a realistic solution to their problems?

The advantages of AI in farming cannot be overstated. Automated environmental systems can minimize crop loss, preserve valuable resources, and increase yield–these benefits alone could help lessen growing market demands. And yet AI continues to supply additional answers to other difficulties.

Here is just a snippet of what AI can do for agriculturists:

Reduced Crop Loss

The bottom line is where you need to feel the impact of machine learning, right? Your plants are your lifeblood. Protecting them is always the top priority.

AI programs like FarmVibes constantly monitor plant stress and health, meaning farmers know exactly what their crops need to thrive. Some tools can also predict weather conditions, thus providing ample time for cultivators to prepare crops for potentially disastrous storms, heat waves, or floods. In the end, these factors can significantly decrease crop loss due to disease or unforeseen environmental influences.

Data-Driven Decisions

Precision is imperative in agriculture. Plants require specific care based on the species, climate, and growing media. AI analyzes sensory data to provide real-time information on nutrient distribution, pest attacks, and moisture levels, allowing farmers to satisfy crop needs accurately.

Automated Operations

A lack of reliable help is a daily struggle for countless businesses, regardless of the industry. For farmers, AI can serve many different roles, reducing the need for hired labor. Automated machinery effortlessly performs jobs once limited to human influence, from sewing seeds to harvesting produce.

Sustainability

AI can be influential when adopting sustainable agricultural practices. Gone are the days of wasted resources. Farmers can now leverage AI to reduce nitrous oxide emissions and water consumption, thereby shrinking their overall environmental impact.

Lower Operating Costs

Higher yields combined, reduced labor expenses, and efficient resource allotment manifest as major dollar signs for farmers. These savings are monumental, as cultivators have the financial leeway to invest in necessary equipment upgrades that could further enhance their growing abilities.

How Farmers Are Using AI to Improve Crops

As we’ve explained, AI has an array of uses across the agricultural board. Farmers must no longer rely solely on manual efforts–they now have more control over crops without continuous hands-on involvement. AI streamlines both minor tasks like inventory management and major, labor-intensive duties like weeding.

Automated Irrigation

Autonomous irrigation systems are not necessarily new technologies. In fact, millions of cultivators have trusted these controls to keep plants strong for years. However, manufacturers have upgraded and revamped mechanisms with recent AI advances.

Based on sensors that monitor climate and grow media moisture levels, systems automatically pinpoint how water is necessary for optimized crop health. Better yet, indoor irrigation techniques are designed to save and recycle water, helping lower waste considerably!

Crop Control

Crop steering and control are essential in the cultivation world. For example, commercial cannabis growers utilize various techniques to dictate each development stage. Specific conditions can provoke root establishment while others generate bushier, lusher yields. AI can transfer the same precision to outdoor fields, too! Agriculturists can rest assured knowing their crops have the best care possible, even when they’re away.

Here are some ways AI can aid farmers in managing their crops:

Nutrient supplementation: AI identifies missing or oversaturated nutrients in growing media. Farmers can use this data to personally adjust levels or program AI to perform these actions automatically.
Plant selection: For cultivators looking to expand their production range, AI can provide insight into which plants are best suited to their outdoor climate, growing media, or indoor growing conditions.
Weeding: Amazingly, automated robots and drones can identify problem weed areas in crops. Like nutrient control, cultivators have the option of applying herbicide manually or implementing mechanical solutions.
Pesticide application: Information collected from sensors, drones, and satellites can help identify and trap pests before they wreak havoc on crops. Many programs can also predict pest activity and proactively implement targeted interventions.
Harvesting: AI technology can analyze a specific crop to determine the best harvesting window. In the future, robots may be fully capable of checking quality, reaping, and packing plants successively.
Creating ideal environments: Automated environmental tools allow cultivators to manage humidity, light, water, nutrient, and temperature levels to enhance plant development.

Disease & Pest Management

AI-based applications can detect factors that lead to pest infestation or plant disease. In practice, computer systems scan soil samples for indications of rot, insects, or mold, helping farmers isolate and fix problem areas before widespread harm results in crop death.

Another example includes automated devices that attract and trap problem pests via pheromones. Trapview, a smart reporting tool, prepares a detailed analysis of identified critters and their potential effects on crops so farmers can take timely action.

Fast Produce Sorting & Inventory Management

Scanners like BIOMETRIC Ai can cut harvest processing time in half, thereby conserving energy and work power while preserving quality. These optical sorters identify minute surface defects with ultra-high-speed image processing. Algorithms are curated to the fruit or vegetable, allowing for an even more precise sorting process. As a result, farmers can maximize yields and reduce the risk of unnecessary loss.

AI can further aid post-harvest operations with user-friendly inventory management systems. These tools offer advanced tracking, demand forecasting, order processing, multi-channel sales, and multi-warehouse oversight. In most cases, all this information is housed in one app or computer program, making for a straightforward resolution to many administrative woes.

But, What Are the Challenges of AI Farming?

Yes, AI shows great potential in agricultural settings. Still, every substantial technological transition requires an initial investment, often alongside a complete infrastructure overhaul. These factors can easily dissuade farmers from learning more about what systems are available to them.

Some may also view AI as an instrument useful only for digital projects. Limited access to information can perpetuate these beliefs, as many rural farms have poor if not nonexistent internet connectivity. In other cases, developers may not offer training once technologies are implemented, leaving cultivators confused and, ultimately, discouraged by AI.

Below are some common problems farmers may encounter when considering AI tools:

Costs: Automated controls and programs can be pricey, with some costing millions depending on the size of the farm or facility.
Adapting to new technologies: Adopting advanced AI systems can be daunting, especially for those with decades-old methodologies. Thankfully, comprehensive training and resources can encourage farmers to be more open to positive change.
Privacy issues: A fear of cyberattacks and other security risks are at the forefront of the argument against AI. Data breaches could be financially devastating for farmers if hackers infiltrate and hinder operations.
Lack of necessary infrastructure: Insufficient internet connections or computer literacy can impair the ability to implement agricultural AI tools.

AI Will Drive the Future of Agriculture

Despite the potential obstacles to integration, more and more agriculturists are finding ways to propel their facilities into the modern AI age of cultivation. Indoor techniques like vertical farming incorporating automated environmental controls solve urban food scarcities, while advanced pest management can prevent crop failure.

The market value of agricultural AI is projected to reach $7.1 billion by 2030, meaning even more applications are just over the horizon. Farmers would be wise to explore how AI can improve their practices, mitigate challenges, and maximize productivity. They may be amazed to see just how transformative AI can be in their efforts to keep global populations prosperous and healthy.