The Digital Agriculture Revolution: Transforming the Future of Farming

Introduction

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made significant advancements in various industries, and the farming industry is no exception. Smart agriculture was valued at more than $19 billion in 2022 and is predicted to exceed $21 billion by 2029 [1]. At Strategic Allies Ltd, we work across all sectors but have been particularly involved in the AgriTech sector. Our Rothamsted offices place us at the heart of a community dedicated to bringing innovation to the food and farming industries. AI technologies have the potential to revolutionise farming practices, improving efficiency, sustainability, and productivity. In this article, we will explore the current applications of AI in agriculture, look at some case studies from well-known multinational organisations and discuss the future opportunities it presents.

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Current Applications of AI in Farming

AI is already being used in several ways in the farming industry:

Precision Agriculture

Machine learning (ML), a data-driven methodology at the heart of artificial intelligence (AI), enables algorithms to recognise patterns and trends in data and use that information to forecast future events with high accuracy. The technology is progressively becoming the backbone of precision farming, which relies on large amounts of data collected through sensing technologies like remote sensing, soil sensors, GPS, and IoT devices. Through the analysis of data, artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms help environmentally friendly farming methods by offering insightful forecasts and predictions for intelligent irrigation, precise crop management, and pest control. Gamaya provides a drone-deployed Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI) technology solution for precision farming. ?Their technology platform combines remote sensing and advanced crop modeling with AI analytics to focus on the sugarcane value chain to increase yields, adopt more sustainable agronomic practices, and unleash new opportunities in the carbon markets.

Agricultural Robots

Labour shortages are a major motivator of AI and robotics in agriculture. Robots equipped with AI capabilities can perform various tasks on the farm, such as planting, harvesting, and weeding, increasing efficiency. Small Robot Co, for example, who we first came across while visiting Groundswell, the Regenerative Agriculture festival in Hertfordshire, use their PerPlant view to identify every plant in every field and provide field-scale actionable insights. Working in tandem with sprayers to deliver herbicides and fertilisers at specific locations at varying rates, it stops blanket chemical applications, claiming savings of up to 90% in herbicide reduction and 24% in fertiliser.

Livestock Monitoring

AI is equally relevant in cattle farming, where producers use AI-powered sensors to streamline animal behaviour and welfare monitoring, predict disease outbreaks, and optimise feeding regimens. Serket, a Dutch firm, uses easily available technology to assist pig farms become more cost-efficient. They offer a 24-hour live feed of livestock that can be viewed from anywhere. They allow farmers to track even the smallest changes in pig behaviour patterns on an individual basis. Any irregularities in animal health are instantly reported to the farmer, saving time when administering treatment. They also allow farmers to preserve digital records of past data.

Case studies

Here we looked at the examples of AI-powered technologies utilised in modern agriculture by 3 major players:

Syngenta

Approach – In an attempt to transform the entire agricultural ecosystem, Syngenta’s strategy is to provide on-demand advice, driven by AI, and to make this knowledge exchange rapid and extensive, “transcending traditional proximity-based knowledge sharing among farmers”.

Implementation – Syngenta developed a mobile app that provides real time pest and disease diagnosis to farmers in the APAC region.?The app has a global database of over 50 crops and 500 diseases, and using AI-enabled image recognition, identifies the issue and recommends a solution in real time. It uses AI-enabled image recognition to identify issues and recommend solutions in real-time (accuracy reported at 93%). It also geotags these issues, alerting nearby farmers about potential threats.

Results – Their mobile application, CROPWISE Grower, has garnered over half a million registered users, and has empowered farmers with timely and accurate interventions, optimizing crop yields and reducing resource wastage. A shift to the cloud has resulted in cost savings of 28% per year, with the ROI achieved in just one and a half years.

Partners – Developed by Syngenta with support from image recognition specialist, Plantix [2]

PepsiCo India

Approach – PepsiCo India, through its brand “Lay’s”, announced a crop and plot-level predictive intelligence model to help farmers maximise potato yields coupled with quality via functional dashboards on user-friendly mobile apps.

Implementation – PepsiCo piloted their crop intelligence platform at demo farms based in Gujarat (51 farmers) and Madhya Pradesh (11 farmers). The system is designed to use satellite imagery, and correlate this with remote sensing data to provide real-time updates on crop stages, health, yield estimations, harvest predictions, weather conditions, and disease threats. The system can generate a forecast up to 10 days in advance which can assist farmers in identifying different crop stages, and close monitoring of crop health, including a disease warning system that relies on weather forecasts and historical data [3].

Results – The pilot study reported “remarkable outcomes”, including a significant increase in yield prediction accuracy, enhancement in yield, and substantial reductions in input costs and post-harvest losses [4].

Partners – Cropin [5]: a global Agtech company who has built the world’s first purpose-built industry?cloud for the agriculture industry.

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Cargill

Approach – Cargill has collaborated with Cainthus to offer farmers the technology to monitor their livestock. through predictive imaging, Cainthus can monitor health and wellbeing of animals as it identifies them individually and reveals patterns about their behaviour.

Implementation – Cainthus uses breakthrough predictive imaging to monitor the health and wellbeing of livestock. Cainthus’ proprietary? imaging technology can identify individual cows by their features in several seconds to memorize a cow’s unique identity, recording individual pattern and movements. That information is used as part of an artificial intelligence-driven mathematical algorithm that conveys imagery into feed and water intake analysis, behavioral tracking and health alerts that can be sent directly to the farmer. Data gleaned from those images is used to anticipate issues and adjust feeding regimens.?Currently this technology is proof of concept only.

Results – Manual processes that took days or weeks to undertake, now takes place in near real-time saving on labour costs and improving efficiencies. Overall, it is hoped the technology will help improve efficiency, enhance animal health and wellbeing, reduce animal loss, and ultimately increase farm profitability Partners – Cainthus (Ever.Ag) – HQ: Dublin, Ireland [6]

?Conclusion

The status of AI in the farming industry is rapidly evolving, with current applications already demonstrating significant benefits for farmers. Pest identification, as well as integrated pest management, and AI-based animal welfare monitoring systems represent active areas of development.

As technology continues to advance, the future opportunities for AI in agriculture are vast and promising. Crop yield prediction, automated pest control, soil analysis management, and supply chain optimisation are some of the numerous future opportunities to explore. ?By harnessing the power of AI, farmers can improve their productivity, sustainability, and overall efficiency, ultimately contributing to a more secure and sustainable global food supply.

By leveraging AI technologies, you can streamline processes, enhance decision-making, and ultimately increase productivity and profitability. Strategic Allies Ltd will work closely with you to find the solutions that best fit you and your company. We always strive to get to the heart of an issue and understand the complexities of a given technology or market so that our recommendations are founded on relevant, hard-earned, hands-on expertise.? If you are interested in exploring how we can help you, please get in touch with John Allies at [email protected].cuk for an exploratory chat.

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