The Power of Precision Agriculture: Data as a Driving Force

What is precision agriculture?

Precision agriculture is a way of farming that uses agritech and data analytics to improve agricultural production. Data allows farmers to make the right decisions about the application of resources such as: seeds, fertilizers and crop protection products. This leads to more efficient use of inputs while promoting crop yield and quality. Thus, precision agriculture enables farmers to produce in an effective and sustainable manner.

Collecting data

An essential part of precision agriculture is collecting relevant data. This involves not only collecting data, but also making it usable. Transparency and shareability of data are important issues within precision agriculture. By sharing data, farmers can benefit from historical consumption figures and automatically order fertilizer, for example.

According to research by the Rabobank (2020) , data is going to play a bigger role in making cultivation decisions and advising on cultivation guidance in the coming years. In this regard, data sharing can bring about a positive change in the relationship between farmers and chain parties, allowing precision agriculture to be widely deployed.

Benefits of precision agriculture

Precision agriculture offers several benefits to farmers and the agricultural sector as a whole. It minimizes the cost of materials and resources, such as water, seeds and fuel. In addition, precision agriculture helps maintain soil health by reducing pesticide use. In the process, it reduces the farmer's dependence on weather conditions and allows farmers to maximize the genetic potential of crops.

Rabobank's 2020 survey found that 64% of customers surveyed see the more efficient use of crop protection products as a key benefit of precision agriculture. Additionally, 44% report that precision agriculture allows them to work more accurately, while 42% report being able to use fertilizers more efficiently. This efficiency and accuracy result in cost savings in crop protection, fertilization and labor hours.

Role of SmartFarm

SmartFarm is part of the current development of precision agriculture.  To us, smart farming involves more than simply reducing the use of crop protection products. It also includes conservation of the environment, efficient use of non-renewable resources and pursuit of broad social and economic goals. Addressing the various challenges of modern and sustainable agriculture requires expertise in several areas. At SmartFarm, we combine extensive theoretical knowledge in meteorology, agronomy and soil physics with practical experience and cutting-edge research. Our strength lies not only in information technology, sensor development and app development, but also in the collaboration between our practical background and cutting-edge research. Thus, our innovations contribute to a future agriculture that is more sustainable, efficient and profitable.

Learn more about SmartFarm. Learn more about our products.