Precision Agriculture & AI

Revolutionizing Farming Practices in the EU: from Manual Work to Farm-as-Service (FaaS) Autonomous Machines

Precision Agriculture (PA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have emerged as transformative forces in modern farming practices. The goal of PA is to use advanced technologies for measurement and data processing to help decision-making based on better-informed knowledge supported by autonomous devices. PA promotes sustainable practices by minimising agrochemicals, reducing soil erosion, and conserving water resources. It helps mitigate the environmental impact of agriculture and promotes biodiversity.

Example: Rice Paddy Weeding

As a short introductory case history: in a rice paddy (very popular in the north-western Vercelli flatland in Italy), a robot removes weed, powered by solar energy, in a rice paddy at a speed of 1 km/h on a 7/24 cycle over a surface of 10 hectares (100.000 square metres) for about two months from the date of rice sowing.

This PA approach to rice weeding replaces two previous methods:

• The 19th / early 20th century was fully manual work by seasonal rice paddy workers, locally known as mondine, which was only sustainable with atrocious working conditions and low wages
• The late 20th-century approach, which at best was based on polluting manned agricultural machines, not to mention the usage of chemical substances

The previous example shows Precision Agriculture leveraging advanced technologies to enhance productivity, reduce environmental impact, and maximise resource efficiency.

In the rest of the article, I will explore the current state of PA and AI, discuss the implications and specifically focus on the EU context.

The Future of Precision Agriculture: AI Takes the Lead in the EU

Precision agriculture is rapidly gaining momentum in the EU thanks to the increasingly widespread use of...:

• ?? AI-driven systems for decision-making based on data
• ?? drones for measurement and autonomous operations
• ??? remote sensing technologies
• and machinery for all operations from sowing to crop, moving with precision thanks to ?? GPS and other positioning systems (the true enabler of the PA revolution)

These tools enable farmers to collect real-time data on soil conditions, crop health, weather patterns, and resource allocation, allowing for precise decision-making and targeted interventions.

With the help of sophisticated algorithms and AI machine learning techniques, farmers (who do not need to become skilled in AI) can now optimise their yields and reduce waste, all while preserving and protecting our natural resources.

The future of agriculture looks bright, and AI is leading the way!

Precision & Traditional Agriculture: Seven Basic Differences

I have identified seven essential elements that could attract the attention of traditional farmers in the EU towards Precision Agriculture: Scalability, Resource Optimization, Cost-Effectiveness, Sustainability, Data-Driven Decision Making, Improved Productivity and Quality, and Market Competitiveness.

1?? Scalability

Precision agriculture is a perfect fit for the diverse farm sizes found in the EU. Farmers can effectively manage their fields using precision agriculture techniques, thus making data-driven decisions based on specific field characteristics.

2?? Resource Optimisation

In the EU, where environmental regulations are stringent, precision agriculture aids compliance by minimising the environmental impact of farming activities. With Precision Agriculture, you can optimise water, fertilisers, and pesticides and ensure they are applied in the right amounts, at the right time, and in suitable locations.

3?? Cost-effectiveness

Investing in precision agriculture technologies may seem like a considerable initial cost for you as a farmer. But the long-term benefits of cost savings, increased yields, and improved efficiency coupled with EU subsidies will make it a financially viable option. Don't let the upfront expense deter you from exploring this game-changing technology, especially if you are a young entrepreneur.

4?? Sustainability

Precision agriculture aligns with the EU's efforts towards sustainable farming practices and environmental conservation. Therefore, it can be considered crucial in achieving the EU's goals of promoting sustainable agriculture. One of the core values of PA is becoming a greener agricultural by minimising agrochemicals, preserving water, and preventing soil erosion. For instance, with real-time measurements PA helps monitor soil health parameters, including moisture levels, nutrient content, and pH balance. Farmers can maintain optimal growing conditions and improve long-term soil sustainability by tailoring soil inputs. The EU is sensitive to such innovations and specific funding is available for farmers / agricultural entrepreneurs implementing such best practices.

5?? Data-Driven Decision Making

Precision agriculture empowers farmers with valuable insights from real-time data. This enables agricultural entrepreneurs to make informed decisions regarding crop management, resource allocation, and pest control, leading to more precise and efficient farming practices

6?? Improved Productivity and Quality

Precision agriculture enhances crop productivity by identifying and addressing early-stage issues.

This helps minimise yield losses due to pests, diseases, or nutrient deficiencies.

Moreover, precise monitoring and management of crops contribute to improved quality and consistency, meeting the EU's food safety and traceability standards.

7?? Market Competitiveness

By adopting precision agriculture technologies, EU farmers can gain a competitive advantage in the global market. These innovative methods allow for producing higher-quality crops with minimal environmental impact, meeting the growing demand for sustainably produced food. By differentiating their products in the market, EU farmers can stay ahead.

How Does AI Work? Example.

I have insisted on the role of AI, but how does AI work?

Let me give one example.

Drones equipped with cameras and sensors can collect high-resolution images of your fields and crop data. AI algorithms can then analyse this data to provide insights and recommendations for optimising your farming practices.

Here is how it works:

AI can analyse drone-captured images and data to estimate crop yields.

By examining captured and stored data like plant height, canopy density, and colour variations, AI algorithms can generate accurate predictions of crop productivity in your farm because it was previously "trained" with past data, giving it a predictive model, i.e. the capability to provide you with a prediction based on your new data collected by the drone.

This information will help you plan your harvest, manage storage capacity, and make informed decisions about your farm's marketing and sales plan. The AI can, in fact, also connect to weather data and forecasts and market data.

What is the Future of Precision Agriculture & AI?

What is going to happen next?

The future of precision agriculture and AI holds tremendous potential for further advancements.

I see at least the following five areas of development:

1. Integration of IoT: Internet of Things (IoT) devices will become more prevalent, enabling seamless connectivity and data exchange among agricultural systems and sensors.
2. Autonomous Machinery: AI-driven autonomous machineries, such as robotic harvesters and precision sprayers, will increase, reducing labour requirements and increasing operational efficiency.
3. Predictive Analytics: Advanced predictive analytics will be vital in anticipating crop diseases, yield forecasts, and market trends, helping farmers make informed decisions and plan.
4. Blockchain Technology: Integration of blockchain technology will enhance transparency and traceability across the agricultural supply chain, ensuring food safety and quality assurance.
5. Farm-as-a-Service (FaaS): The emergence of FaaS models will enable smaller farmers to access precision agriculture technologies without heavy upfront investments, democratising its benefits.

Have you heard of Farm-as-a-Service (FaaS) before?

It's a concept that provides farmers access to advanced agricultural technologies and services on a subscription or pay-per-use basis, similar to the popular software-as-a-service (SaaS) model.

FaaS aims to level the playing field by making precision agriculture tools accessible to all farmers without significant upfront investments in equipment and infrastructure.

Such is the case of planting trees like poplars, where a dedicated semiautonomous machine could significantly reduce your manual work from weeks to days but would cost you tens or hundreds of thousands of euros. With FaaS, you can on-demand access PA technologies with a few hundred euros and avoid all the issues of machine investment, maintenance and storage during inactive seasons or years.

It's an exciting development set to democratise PA in farming and create a more sustainable future for agriculture.

More to come on FaaS and other topics I introduced: stay tuned!