Human civilization was set on a path of rapid progress since the agricultural revolution and today agriculture is about to be transformed by the AI revolution. Artificial Intelligence can propel crop yields to their maximum level and address supply chain issues that weren’t possible before.
While there are several benefits of AI in agriculture, food security in the face of climate change is the most important one. As the global population keeps growing and climate change threatens food security, AI can be the perfect tool for optimizing all the resources we have.
Intuition and experience have always been the foundation of farming. However, artificial intelligence can bring valuable data points that assist that experience and build on that intuition.
From crop heath to moisture levels and live weather changes, everything can be accounted for. With sensors spread across crop fields, AI can use data collected by them to deliver useful insights. Those insights may help farmers to:
Farming has faced disruptions since it was invented. With every new innovation that threatens to displace farmers, they are constantly fighting an uphill battle. Modern farming technology with AI integration can change that for the better. Farmers can use drones with high-resolution cameras and AI-powered image recognition and combine that with field sensor data. This enables them to identify infected crops or signs of an infestation early on.
That allows the average farmer to take quick action before the disease spreads and makes them lose their entire harvest. Moreover,artificial intelligence in agriculture can take several factors into account including:
To suggest the right strategy for increasing crop yields. AI models can also predict crop yields and market forces to help farmers strategize for the future. Here’s a scenario- If a farmer in Iowa cultivates corn, harvest season can be stressful. It demands you to:
With AI-powered yield prediction, farmers have an easier time and higher profits.
The role of AI isn’t limited to the fields either. Artificial Intelligence in agriculture can also go a long way to fine-tune supply chains and analyze markets. For instance, tomatoes and grapes come with a short shelf life. If they need to travel from California to cities across the country, AI can analyze weather and traffic patterns to suggest the best routes for trucks and minimize waste.
Moreover, AI can also predict crop prices and show when they reach their peaks and bottom down. This helps farmers decide on the right time to sell their crops and reap a bountiful harvest or store them and store them in their silos. So, it’s a win-win for both farmers and the planet as fewer resources get wasted. Similar to its role in cybersecurity, AI can reduce or even eliminate risks in the agricultural industry.
From optimizing supply chains to helping farmers with data-driven insights, the future impact of AI on agriculture is undeniable. It helps farmers take several steps at a time in the right direction and ensure food security for a rapidly changing world.
Mr. Robert Willson is one of the few geeks who never gets tired when it comes to technology. From the latest gadgets to AI and machine learning, Mr. Willson translates them into easy-to-digest insights. Where there is tech, there is him!
