The combination of advanced data science, sensors and proper connectivity enables us to deliver real insights to farmers in real time, while in the field.
That knowledge gives farmers the power to make more informed decisions, and to effectively manage every inch of their fields for maximum yields. Digital tools are already making a difference for farmers across the world, improving their efficiency in managing fertility, water and crop health. Possibilities are endless if we can bring technological innovation and the ingenuity and perseverance of farmers together. We will be able to unlock productivity that will help us to sustainably feed a growing population.
DIGITAL AG VS PRECISION AG
Digital Ag is the use of data and advanced computational techniques to make more informed decisions about managing our crops and agronomic operations. It encompasses all the information in the Ag ecosystem, including data about the crop itself, equipment data, environmental data, operational data and even market and logistics data.
Precision Ag is about executing our agricultural plan as precisely as possible and “farming by the seed.” It is often executed by specialised equipment, encompassing how we plant, manage and harvest that seed, as well as how we manage the soil between plantings with processes like tillage, crop rotation, cover cropping and variable application of fertiliser.
Digital and Precision Ag combined aren’t just about higher yields, but also about being as efficient as possible, producing more with less and in a sustainable and reliable fashion. The digital Ag industry is still very young. Data is being used today to make better prescriptions, optimise fertility, spot pest and disease pressure earlier, manage logistics, etc. Thus, for now the value of Ag data is defined by the improvements our customers recognise directly through increased productivity.
A SOLUTION OR “PLATFORM” APPROACH
Too often we’re seeing innovative products from multiple, disparate ventures that have been created in closed environments, requiring farmers to purchase and navigate many different applications to receive a full spectrum of benefits. Simply put - farmers need technology tools that are built and delivered to intuitively meet their needs in an organised way. If we’re asking them to try to shift between a dozen different apps as they’re planting a field, the digital Ag industry is not meeting their needs in a realistic manner. As an industry, we need to cultivate and support new agricultural technology in open, collaborative platforms or solutions.
CONCLUSION
There’s no question that digital Ag will continue to expand in the years to come, providing farmers with increasingly powerful tools to improve harvests and profitability while reducing food security concerns and enabling more sustainable agricultural practices around the globe. But, at the same time, there are significant challenges such as: how quickly digital tools can develop and how quickly the digital Ag industry, farmers and the entire agriculture ecosystem can adapt to make the most of them.