4 Ways IoT can Help the Agriculture Industry

With the most modern farming techniques, IoT management is helping farmers achieve a streamlined farming culture that utilize fewer resources, reduce waste generation, and increase productivity.

Internet of Things is gaining popularity in the agricultural sector with recent statistics mapping the global agricultural IoT market size at 14.79 billion dollars as of 2018. This is expected to cross the 30 billion dollar mark come 2023.

But how can the IoT boost the agriculture industry?

Remote Livestock and Crops Monitoring

With sensors placed strategically within and without the farming fields, all sorts of data can be accurately recorded and propagated to the farmer in real-time. Weather conditions like rainfall, humidity, and temperature can be read accurately and appropriate measures can be taken where possible.

Soil moisture sensors, for example, determine when and how much water is required. This gives an automated solution to watering. When the soil moisture is too low, the water turns on and when the moisture level is just above the maximum limit, the water turns off.

For livestock and crops alike, the IoT parameters can be calibrated to suit certain functions and to achieve certain results. This eliminates the need for physical presence, cuts on cost and eventually increases productivity.

Smart Greenhouses

Agriculture Greenhouse IoTThe adoption of IoT in greenhouses has been met with several advantages. Elimination of human intervention increases precision and cuts on the cost of labor. With IoT integration, automatic adjustment of the various climatic conditions inside a greenhouse, couldn’t be more accurate.

With every advancement in technology, IoT connectivity brings more value to the farmer as every task inside a greenhouse can be automated without paying a hefty price.

Drones in Agriculture

When physical monitoring of a cattle range or a crop plantation proves tedious and time-consuming, drones are trusted with the job. Certain drones have been designed specifically for agricultural purposes and are well-equipped with all the functionalities the farmer may intend to use.

Some agronomy drones come with thermal or multispectral sensors that are capable of detecting unhealthy plants on the farm. Drones can also be customized with different sensors for deployment in various agricultural sectors.

Data Analytics

The real-time data captured by sensors in the farm needs to be analyzed before a meaningful report can be obtained. IoT platforms play a critical role in data modeling where integration and visualization of pre-sampled data is crucial.

Using predictive analytics, the Internet of Things can give better insights into the best decisions based on the conditions of the crops or livestock on the farm. When huge junk of data needs to be analyzed, IoT comes in handy as the conventional databases may not serve the purpose.

Conclusion

With the increased use of information technology in agriculture, precision farming has been made possible. This technique takes into account the scientific aspects of measurement, observation, and analytics to draw conclusions and make appropriate corrective actions. Also feel free to contact us to learn of other ways IoT can be used in agriculture.

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