The near-constant supply chain disruptions in recent years have shown our requirement for better, more structured supply chain management. To mitigate supply chain concerns, however, we should return to the source: farms and farming business that develop and provide the majority of the world’s food supplies.
Traditionally, with standard supply chains, farmers have typically had less power due to the fact that they’ve had little to no data about how their product carries out relative to demand. In other words, farming has lagged where technology is concerned. But all of that can alter with wise farming.
According to farming professionals, smart farming can offer “a crucial link between all gamers in the supply chain by allowing a more efficient and fair circulation of details, and in doing so, assisting in much better choice making.”
Hence, farmers require to begin adopting new innovations to reduce concerns and make the agricultural supply chain more efficient.
What is Smart Farming?
Smart farming is the use of modern-day technology to effectiveness. By using smart technologies, farmers can consume resources more sparingly, eliminate extreme workloads, and increase performance to produce greater yields.
Smart farming, as mentioned above, can likewise enable a better circulation of information to enhance supply chain management, which can help alleviate any problems or disturbances. Essentially, the whole of the agriculture market can be greatly improved with clever farming, as it can advance capabilities and significantly enhance procedures.
Why We Need Smart Farming Innovation
The future of our food supply is dealing with many obstacles. The more mankind progresses, the more needs are put on us– especially ones that affect the agricultural industry and international food supply. However wise farming can help us attend to these challenges, a lot of which include:
- Food inequality: Feeding the world isn’t easy, and unfortunately, more vulnerable populations suffer and go starving more than others. But with the help of agri-tech, it is possible to increase food production to the point that we can feed more people more easily.
- Pollution: The farming sector is responsible for over 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions. By using smarter technologies that can enhance effectiveness, nevertheless, we can cut down on the amount of energy required to finish agriculture procedures, such as cultivating and growing crops, and feeding and carrying animals.
- Overconsumption of natural deposits: Around the world, access to fresh water is a public health issue and major crisis. And the biggest customer of fresh water? Agriculture. Around 70% of water is taken in by agriculture, thus suggesting a vital need for more effective procedures and smarter usage of water.
- Climate modification: Crop yields are being directly impacted by environment modification. Sadly, as the world grows, there will only continue to be more mouths to feed. As such, we must discover methods to increase agriculture productivity and yields.
How Smart Farming and Agri-tech Can Make Farming Supply Chains More Resilient
There is no doubt about it– re-designing the farming market and farming with wise innovation is vital if we are to future-proof supply chains.
Farming must make modifications and upgrade procedures through innovation and digitization to make the farming supply chain more resistant and effective. Doing so can assist alleviate issues and challenges such as those noted above.
Executing making use of clever farming tech can also facilitate much better interaction throughout the supply chain and those included, make moving of items and products more budget friendly, and enhance storage facility performances. Smart farming tech can also assist farmers increase their income, which can even more help them manage changes that are essential to future-proof their company.
Without improvements, we will only continue to face supply chain shortages and interruptions that might begin to badly affect human health and the way we live our lives. Food is essential, and if growing and supplying food is becoming a problem, we should find ways to get rid of these difficulties to protect the future of our food supply.
Smart Technology Solutions for the Future of Farming
Already, there are various smart farming innovations available that farmers and others can use to enhance farming. Some of these consist of:
- Smart watering systems;
- Autonomous tractors;
- Planting robotics;
- Artificially intelligent crop monitoring systems;
- Drone crop monitoring.
One of the most recent and most useful technologies that can be made use of across the farming market to improve supply chains is the Web of Things (IoT). Farming IoT is transforming the way we do farming.
IoT innovations, which are basically advanced connected gadgets, are helping farmers fix significant concerns and close the supply chain space. Specifically, IoT solutions are making it possible for farming employees to minimize waste, boost productivity, ensure higher yields, and increase success. This indicates more food and less damage to the environment.
Final Thoughts
While wise farming innovation is currently available, it is not commonly utilized across the farming industry. Some farmers are still utilizing conventional processes due to the fact that it’s simply what they know and what they are utilized to. But if we are to future-proof the supply chain, more farmers must start embracing these new innovations. There will certainly be a learning curve, however in the end, the yields will be worth the dangers and effort.