9 Benefits of Modern Precision Agriculture for Farmers
Agricultural practices are constantly changing, and the processes that farmers use daily are increasingly diverse and dynamic. This has been a huge improvement in several areas for farmers, and we take an in-depth look at the many ways precision farming is having a tremendous effect on farms around the world.
Benefits of modern precision agriculture
Simplified agricultural processes
Precision farmers are discovering that everyday agricultural processes are becoming easier to manage and this is a direct result of the implementation of technology and streamlining of procedures. Although many agricultural jobs require great effort, by adopting modern technologies, farmers find it easier to complete. Two key examples of this are drones that calculate the final number of crops and unmanned robots that take care of weeding. Both would have normally been arduous for farmers but are now cared for with minimal effort and a high degree of precision.
Improvement of agricultural procedures
We have compiled a shortlist of 4 production procedures that have been greatly improved using precision agriculture methods.
Cover crops. Farmers use cover crops to protect the soil during low seasons and also earn additional income from the sale of them.
Strip milling / no milling methods. Strip tillage reduces damage to fields by implementing full traditional tillage and also allows organic matter to be left behind and fertilize the soil naturally. No-tillage completely eliminates the tillage process and, if managed correctly, can greatly improve yield.
Best agricultural machinery. Using heavy-duty farm equipment in the fields often causes soil damage and compaction, technology companies, and machinery developers have created tractors that are combined with sensors to reduce compaction of the tracks and wheels.
Variable Rate Fertilization and Irrigation (Fertigation). Precise systems that use sensors to measure crop quality and irrigation needs. They provide fertilizer and water where it is needed and when it is needed.
A more cost-efficient agriculture
A farmer's expense sheet is often the pinnacle of desolation and terror. Precision farming aims to reduce farmers' expenses by minimizing the need for fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides.
During a growing season, growers are seeing significant reductions in the amount of money they are spending on all of the above, where technology is using the components sparingly and only when necessary. This alternative to jet fumigation has resulted in massive savings and allows farmers to better budget and keep costs to a minimum.
More time in your hands
Accompanying the streamlined processes, farmers are realizing that they are freeing up much more time to focus on their farm business operations, rather than the more arduous jobs that would normally be time-consuming. This means they can focus their energy on making the farm more profitable and planning for expansion rather than getting bogged down in completing petty tasks that technology can do instead.
Higher returns and higher profitability
Statistically, a precision farmer will make more money than a traditional farmer will. This is for many reasons. Their yields are higher because they have improved growing practices and, as a result, they can sell more products at the end of the season. They also have fewer work hours as technology is filling gaps that workers would have previously filled.
There is now a huge fruit harvesting technology industry that is minimizing labor costs on many large fruit farms. In addition to these benefits, because farmers are reducing costs through the use of technology, they are reducing their profit margins much earlier than traditional farmers.
Better quality products
Implementing better cultivation processes is providing higher quality products. This is done in many ways, such as actively monitoring nutrients in the soil, clearing and irrigating plants correctly and only when necessary.
Again, this not only increases yields but also increases profit margins, as when it comes to getting the crop to market, precision farmers can negotiate a higher price for improved quality of the product.
Less waste
Crop failure is a nightmare for farmers, and throughout a growing season, it is expected that a certain number of plants will not be able to support it. What makes matters worse is that, historically, storage practices have inevitably led to further deterioration.
With streamlined growing processes and healthier plants, crops have a much better chance of survival and growing seasons are increasingly sustainable. Furthermore, improvements in storage by technological means have also greatly reduced the spoilage of crops in the storage phase.
Less debt
Unfortunately, a word that has become synonymous with agriculture is debt. Precision farmers are not able to avoid debt like a traditional farmer. However, they can pay it off faster because they have more money to pay it off. This is the result of increased profitability and many precision farmers are now debt-free or taking great strides to get rid of debt.
Better quality of life
Farming is difficult and exhausting work. Suicide rates for farmers are high and the overall quality of life was typically non-existent. Precision farming is changing rapidly, and because of the things we have mentioned on the list, they experience a better quality of life with reduced stress levels.
With more time to spend with the family, more money to go on vacation, and less physical labour in the agricultural process, precision farmers are living healthier and fuller lifestyles that will see those alarming suicide statistics drop as they go.
The growth observed around the world, both in yield and in the distribution of agricultural products, has been staggering and will continue to grow as more farmers realize that they can lead simpler and more productive lives.
