Agriculture needs more automation to make it a lucrative business
The need now is to promote novel and state-of-the-art technologies, such as geospatial programming and artificial intelligence, to optimise farm productivity
The decline in the prices of agricultural machinery, thanks to the recent cut in goods and services tax (GST) from 12-18 per cent to 5 per cent, is expected to impart the much-needed impetus to mechanisation in Indian agriculture. Doing field work mechanically, rather than manually, is warranted not merely to lessen dependence on human labour, which is turning scarce due to unabated migration from rural areas, but more so to ensure greater precision in farm operations to boost productivity and profitability. It also mitigates drudgery in farm work, which is driving the rural youth away from farming.
Innovative Automation Technology in the Agricultural Industry
Vertical Farming
Vertical farming leverages hydroponics, aeroponics, and automation to grow crops in vertically stacked layers to maximize space. Most vertical farms exist in a controlled indoor environment, which means they can be established almost anywhere — be it a shipping container or a busy city center.
These farms produce yields hundreds of times larger than traditional farming methods since they can operate 24/7 and in any climate. Vertical farms also use 70-95% less water since it is recycled and recaptured, deliver fresher produce, and are less likely to be impacted by bacteria.
Indoor farming raised over $1 billion in 2021, and it’s estimated that there are now more than 2,000 vertical farms in the United States that grow a wide variety of produce from lettuce to berries.
Automated Farming Machinery
In 2017, Massachusetts-based Franklin Robotics unveiled Tertill, a weed cutter that was believed to be the first truly automated option for agriculture. The robot leverages a combination of simple logic and wireless communication to distinguish desirable plants from weeds, resulting in a weedless garden without the use of chemicals.
Five years later, automated machinery in the agricultural industry has become a little more sophisticated. In 2021, for example, West Virginia engineers developed StickBug, a six-armed robot designed to pollinate crops in greenhouse environments. In the same year, John Deere unveiled the first fully autonomous tractor at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and announced earlier this year that it was ready to begin plowing.
Other automated technologies include drones that can spray pesticides and herbicides over crops, remote-controlled tractors, automated harvesting systems, and smart farming apps.
It’s estimated that autonomous tractors will overtake milking robots in the agri-tech market by the end of the year.
AI-powered Robots
It’s increasingly commonplace to see AI-powered robots completing important farming tasks, including precision farming and crop monitoring and analysis.
American Robotics, for example, is developing a completely autonomous drone. Aerial imaging and seed-planting capabilities enable the drone to capture a bird’s eye view of a farm and sow seeds according to the land’s optimum capacity.
Aibono is an end-to-end agri-tech platform that specializes in aggregation and just-in-time supply of fresh fruits and vegetables. Trace Genomics provides a comprehensive and precise understanding of the soil’s composition, enabling farmers to make better management decisions. Another example is the Iron Ox facility, which uses robotics and AI to guarantee each plant receives adequate levels of sunshine, water, and nutrients.
It might be a while before we see the world’s first fully automated farm, as high costs and skepticism surrounding product reliability are slowing the agri-tech adoption rate. Nonetheless, a recent report predicts that the global agricultural robots market size will grow to $11.9 billion by 2026.
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