• Live Streaming
  • Reviews
  • Awarenesses
  • Our Products Shop
Farmers Zimbabwe
  • Farmers.co.zw
  • Agricultural Show
  • Budgets
  • Business
  • Case Studies
  • Did you Know
  • Insurance
  • Investment
  • Crops
  • Horticulture
  • markets
  • News
  • Startup Stories
  • tobacco auction
No Result
View All Result
  • Farmers.co.zw
  • Agricultural Show
  • Budgets
  • Business
  • Case Studies
  • Did you Know
  • Insurance
  • Investment
  • Crops
  • Horticulture
  • markets
  • News
  • Startup Stories
  • tobacco auction
No Result
View All Result
Farmers Zimbabwe
No Result
View All Result
Home News Agro-business

Ever heard of Precision Agric : WHAT IS PRECISION AGRICULTURE?

jkm by jkm
September 17, 2021
in Agro-business, Featured, Learning, machinery, technology
0
Ever heard of Precision Agric   : WHAT IS PRECISION AGRICULTURE?
0
SHARES
39
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Precision agriculture is a method of farming that uses technological innovations – including GPS guidance, drones, sensors, soil sampling and precision machinery – in order to grow crops more efficiently. Ultimately, precision agriculture techniques help farmers make more informed decisions about their crops based on the unique nature of their fields so that they can do the right thing, in the right place, at the right time.

Agricultural sustainability is meeting the needs of people, protecting the environment and building prosperity for today and in the future. Precision agriculture contributes to sustainable agriculture as a whole.

In crops, precision agriculture is about leveraging data gathered through various methods, including through drones, satellite mapping and sensors, to make decisions about how to manage each individual piece of land. While a farmer may plant the same crop across one field, that crop may need different care in different parts of that same field based on things like soil type and pest pressures. Leveraging the power of the data they can now acquire about their fields gives farmers the ability to determine the exact placement and amount of inputs, such as pesticides, required to successfully grow their crops, which helps improve the productivity of their operations, reduces waste and improves their environmental sustainability.

Plant science technologies like pesticides and plant breeding innovations like genetically modified crops are tools that fit into the precision agriculture toolbox. They help farmers be more productive and they help drive agricultural sustainability. Without these tools, future farmers would need 50 per cent more land to grow the same amount of food we do now.

Why does precision agriculture matter to you? 

At its core, precision agriculture is designed to improve the efficiency of production on farms. For farmers, this has obvious benefits: they can grow more, and healthier crops on the same amount of land and increase the economic viability of their farms in a way that’s better for the environment. For Canadians today, this all contributes to greater food availability and keeps food costs affordable. In the long term, precision agriculture is helping to nurture and protect farm land so that it remains productive in 20, 50 and 100 years’ time

 

The first wave of precision agriculture

Precision agriculture was born with the introduction of GPS guidance for tractors in the early 1990s, and the adoption of this technology is now so widespread globally that it’s probably the most commonly-used example of precision ag today. John Deere was the first to introduce this technology using GPS location data from satellites. A GPS-connected controller in a farmer’s tractor automatically steers the equipment based on the coordinates of a field. This reduces steering errors by drivers and therefore any overlap passes on the field. In turn, this results in less wasted seed, fertilizer, fuel, and time.

Precision agronomics

Precision agronomics is another important term related to the combining of methodology with technology. At its core, it’s about providing more accurate farming techniques for planting and growing crops. Precision agronomics can involve any of the following elements:

Variable rate technology (VRT) – VRT refers to any technology that enables the variable application of inputs and allows farmers to control the amount of inputs they apply in a specific location. The basic components of this technology include a computer, software, a controller and a differential global positioning system (DGPS). There are three basic approaches to using VRT – map-based, sensor-based and manual. The adoption of variable rate technology is currently estimated at 15% in North America and is expected to continue to grow rapidly over the next five years.

GPS soil sampling – Testing a field’s soil reveals available nutrients, pH level, and a range of other data that is important for making informed and profitable decisions. In essence, soil sampling allows growers to consider productivity differences within a field and formulate a plan that takes these differences into account. Collection and sampling services that are worth the effort will allow the data to be used for input for variable rate applications for optimizing seeding and fertilizer.

Computer-based applications – Computer applications can be used to create precise farm plans, field maps, crop scouting and yield maps. This, in turn, allows for the more precise application of inputs such as pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, thus helping to reduce expenses, produce higher yields and create a more environmentally-friendly operation. The challenge with these software systems is they sometimes deliver a narrow value that doesn’t allow data to be used for making bigger farm decisions, especially with the support of an expert. Another concern with many software applications is poor user interfaces, and the inability to integrate the information they provide with other data sources to enrich and show significant value to farmers.

Remote sensing technology – Remote sensing technology has been in use in agriculture since the late 1960s. It can be an invaluable tool when it comes to monitoring and managing land, water, and other resources. It can help determine everything from what factors may be stressing a crop at a specific point in time to estimating the amount of moisture in the soil. This data enriches decision-making on the farm and can come from several sources including drones and satellites.

At its most basic level, precision agronomics takes the role of an agronomist and helps make the methods they use more accurate and scalable.

The primary aim of precision agriculture and precision agronomics is to ensure profitability, efficiency, and sustainability while protecting the environment. This is achieved by using the big data gathered by this technology to guide both immediate and future decisions on everything from where in the field to apply a particular rate, to when it’s best to apply chemical, fertilizer or seed.

While precision agriculture principles have been around for more than 25 years, it’s only been over the past decade that they have become mainstream due to technological advancements and the adoption of other, broader technologies. The adoption of mobile devices, access to high-speed internet, low cost and reliable satellites – for positioning and imagery — and farm equipment that’s optimized for precision agriculture by the manufacturer, are some of the key technologies characterizing the trend for precision agriculture. Some experts have suggested that more than 50% of today’s farmers use at least one precision farming practice.

Advocating for excellence

Precision agriculture innovation continues, and more and more farms are adopting available technology and practices. Like any other industry, we need more advocates to drive greater adoption and hence greater efficiency. Growers need support to successfully implement new technologies to ensure success. At Decisive Farming, we support our growers with training and expertise.

Previous Post

Government contains quelea birds threat

Next Post

Why an Agriculture marketing plan Strategy

jkm

jkm

Next Post
Why an Agriculture marketing plan Strategy

Why an Agriculture marketing plan Strategy

Plugin Install : Widget Tab Post needs JNews - View Counter to be installed
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO GROWING POTATOES IN ZIMBABWE

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO GROWING POTATOES IN ZIMBABWE

July 17, 2021
Why most of the times farmers will not attain max possible weight of birds in 6 weeks

Requirements for Broiler Contract Growing – Irvines zimbabwe

August 29, 2018
Why most of the times farmers will not attain max possible weight of birds in 6 weeks

What Is The Cost Of Raising Broiler Chicken? 1000 units

March 29, 2021
THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO GROWING POTATOES IN ZIMBABWE

production of Sweet potatoes  as a commercial crop in Zimbabwe

July 27, 2017

How I Traveled The World With Only $100

0

Interview Of Beginner Urban Style Model & Blog Diva

0

Mystery Behind The Xbox Controller

0

The Untapped Gold Mine Of Time That Virtually No One Knows About

0
Govt Introduces Grain Swap Programme

Govt Introduces Grain Swap Programme

April 26, 2022
New farm Inventions : Tom Carnell’s OSR drill

New farm Inventions : Tom Carnell’s OSR drill

April 24, 2022
Opico to sell FarmDroid drilling and weeding robot

Opico to sell FarmDroid drilling and weeding robot

April 24, 2022
FOOD PACKAGING BUSINESS

FOOD PACKAGING BUSINESS

April 20, 2022

Recent News

Govt Introduces Grain Swap Programme

Govt Introduces Grain Swap Programme

April 26, 2022
New farm Inventions : Tom Carnell’s OSR drill

New farm Inventions : Tom Carnell’s OSR drill

April 24, 2022
Opico to sell FarmDroid drilling and weeding robot

Opico to sell FarmDroid drilling and weeding robot

April 24, 2022
FOOD PACKAGING BUSINESS

FOOD PACKAGING BUSINESS

April 20, 2022
Farmers Zimbabwe

© 2021 farmers.co.zw

Navigate Site

  • News
  • Jobs

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • 404 Error, content does not exist anymore
  • Blog Page
  • Cart
  • Checkout
  • Contact Us
  • Farmers.co.zw – Agroalerts Zimbabwe
  • farming in Africa – Agro-business
  • Farming in zimbabwe – AgroAlerts
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Home 2
  • Home 3
  • Home 4
  • Home 5
  • Home 6
  • Job Dashboard
  • Jobs
  • My account
  • News
  • Post a Job
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sample Page
  • Sample Page
  • Shop
  • Terms of use
  • WPMS HTML Sitemap

© 2021 farmers.co.zw