Significance of New Technology in Farming
Farming practices are different worldwide depending on climatic conditions and food demands. Humans are practising farming as a conventional occupation. It has become one of the largest industries globally. It includes numerous activities, operations and processes from field to consumer’s plate. The essential function any food goes through is in areas. Proper nurturing and nutrition should be provided to yield while growing crops. Thousands of years of practice has evolved new methods and techniques in farming; one of them is the application of new technology in agriculture.
Agriculture technologies are still evolving and undergoing experimentation. Developed countries have implemented new technology in farming at the very early stage of its introduction. The ultimately increased productivity, overall profit and reduced resource utilisation have gained popularity among farmers in third world countries. It has led to increased demands for agriculture technologies carrying out various field activities and operations. Developing nations have understood the significance of agriculture technology. They have taken initiatives in awareness, support, schemes and training programs for the deployment and adoption of new technologies in farming.
Farmers can speed up processes like tillage, seeding, chemical spraying, irrigation and harvesting using new technology in farming. Apart from assistance in field activities, these technologies are designed to collect scientific data from fields such as soil quality, soil health, microclimate within the area, surrounding environmental conditions and resources availability. Based on these inputs, agriculture technologies provide accurate decisions on crops, seeds, season and market peak updates for the maximum benefit of farmers. Biotechnology has modified sources that allow crops to withstand extreme weather events like heavy rainfall, flood, cloud burst, lightning and drought. Even policymakers and insurance companies use technologies in agriculture to conduct surveys, evaluations and analyses of fields.
Additionally, the development of agriculture technologies aims to reduce the agriculture footprint on the ecosystem. The agricultural industry is a notable contributor to wastewater, food wastage, and greenhouse gas emissions. The climate crisis is known to all, and urgent steps need to be taken from all industries. Agriculture is not an exception! Thus, even if all other financial and production losses are kept apart, new technology in agriculture is essential to reduce the carbon footprint as well as pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural practices worldwide.
Therefore, agriculture technology optimising usage of resources scientifically while increasing the yield and reducing the damages to the crops should be leveraged by governments, agritech companies, investors, and other stakeholders.
