Hello everyone! Hope things are going well with you. Today I will discuss with all of you about precision farming. May be this idea is new to you as we do not see this farming technology in our country. But in developed countries like America, some countries of Europe and Israel are practicing this technology in their farm, progressing by conducting immense research as well as. Consequently, they are getting results too.

Let’s start. Precision farming is an approach to farm management that uses Information Technology(IT) to ensure the optimum health and productivity of crops as well soil.The main purpose of precision farming is to ensure farm profitability and protection of the environment. Pierre Robert first introduced and extended the idea of precision farming and for that he is called the father of precision farming.

Now,the question is,why precision farming is so important? The main reason is,total population of earth will cross 10 billion by 2050.How we ensure the increased demand of food where arable land is decreasing rapidly due to population growth and industrialization.Only using IT in agriculture could ensure this as food production could be increased 2-3 times than now. We have already discussed that no negative effect can be seen on environment if precision farming is installed.

According to study,about 20-25% greenhouse gas is now emitting from agriculture sector and so many environment scientist has raised their fingers on agriculture as a spoiler of environment balance.In this case,precision farming is very crucial.In this system,no wastage of fertilizers,insecticides as well as irrigation water because of optimum use of them.So many technologies collaboratively and autonomously controls this complex system.

We know,smart farming is an automated digital farming system where so many technologies work together to accomplish each and every operation.Like-

Sensing technologies

Sensors are used in this technology to collect farm related information from land. Example : Moisture sensor which determines the total amount of moisture at land.

Hardware and Software application

As this types of operation is automated and programming based,specific software is needed.

Communication technologies

Sensors collects and measures data and of course there need to be a bridge to combine those data.Communication technologies work in this case.Example – Cellular communication.

Positioning technologies

Such as GPS.

Data analytics

To take any kind of decision regarding farming,this technology helps us by processing farm data collected by devices.

All technologies that I mentioned here are the essence of smart farming.We are dreaming a Bangladesh which will be technology-driven.But it will not be possible to make it by undermining digitalisation of our agriculture sector.If we poster these technologies and can successfully incorporate them in our farm operation,we will be one step ahead towards our agricultural development.

Sk. Shoaibur Rahaman (Author)

CEO, Agri-Science Society(AgSS).


Image source: Cropaia