Technology in Agriculture: Feeding the Future
Technology in Agriculture: Feeding the Future
When we say that the world’s population is growing geometrically and food production is growing arithmetically, we are referring to the fact that the population would quickly exceed the ability to feed itself. Population explosion is not only depleting the natural resources because of overconsumption and degradation, but it might also lead to gigantic inevitable famine. Keeping this in mind, scientists across the world are working on agricultural innovation and developing technologies to deal with world hunger and nutrition deficiency. Here are some of the recent developments in the respective field.
Vertical Farming :
Vertical farms, typically known as “Indoor Farms” are inhabited buildings in urban areas, where food is grown using advanced technology. This is different from house gardening as crops in vertical farms are grown in stacks without using soil or sunlight. Mostly used for local consumption, the scientist uses artificial lighting, climate control, and in many cases hydroponics to grow food.
This approach is generally practiced for salad greens and herbs and is produced in large quantities as other vegetables require more space and longer production cycles. Also, food grown in such an environment takes less time as compared to crops grown in a field. These vertical crops use 95 percent less water, 50 percent fewer fertilizers and zero pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides.
Seasonality isn’t a factor for such farming and there’s no risk of seed contamination or poor weather. Other benefit includes low transportation costs and less degeneration as most of these farms supply food to local restaurants and supermarkets.
Genetically Modified Crops :
GM crop refers to the use of biotechnology to genetically engineer certain traits of crops like pest resistance, herbicide resistance, and increased nutritional value to enhance productivity. This biotechnology is critical in food technology that aims to revolutionize the way we grow and eat food.
Several genetically modified crops are in the development stage to grow them in new habitats. This will intensify yield productivity and feed more people. With this technology, scientists around the world are aiming to eradicate hunger, solve food scarcity, and provide adequate nutrition.
Precision Agriculture :
Precision agriculture also known as satellite farming, is referred to as the use of satellite imagery and GPS tracking systems to monitor soil levels, crop yields, and weather patterns. This process aims to increase productivity on the farm without any compromises. Also, there are tools such as soil testing kits and weather analysis software to examine nitrogen and phosphorus levels in soil and air respectively.
With the help of this satellite technology, farmers can locate the exact location in the field and ascertain how valuable the area is. Prior to this system, the entire field was considered as one unit but now farmers can discover areas that are more productive for different crops. These will prevent wastage of seed, fertilizer, and pesticides. It is also significant from an environmental standpoint as farmers can follow sustainable practices and use fewer resources in their fields.
Drones :
In general, farms used for farming are measured in hectares as they cover large areas for mass production. Hence, monitoring the productivity of each area becomes a difficult task. So, drones can be a great help here and they are becoming a popular alternative. With drones, farmers can trace exactly where an unhealthy or damaged plant is and accurately use fertilizers and pesticides.
3D Printing :
The impression of 3D printed food isn’t accurately mouth-watering but the technology can disrupt the food industry at various levels. People can print their food at home by using the 3D printer, which will be rich in nutrients and pesticide-deficient. Apart from industrialists around the world, NASA has used a 3D printer to make pizza, possibly a step forward to supply astronaut meals in space.
Internet of ‘Farming’ :
Sensors play a crucial role in food technology and the Internet of Things has already entered a farm in the form of irrigation technologies and crop yield monitoring. For instance, an application called WaterBee is collecting data about soil content and environment condition using wireless sensors to decrease water waste.
Seed Vaults :
Scientists are using seed vaults, a giant storage unit that acts as a safe haven for the world’s large variety of edible plant seeds. They are to be used in the event of a nuclear war or catastrophic natural disaster. The withdrawal was first experienced during the ongoing civil war in Syria in 2015 from the Svalbard “doomsday” Global Seed Vault.
Agrojay Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
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