High Tech Ag Is Changing The Way We Grow Our Foods

The Lempert Report
July 20, 2018

Food waste during the growing of our foods is expensive in dollars and the impact on our environment.

According to a 2016 McKinsey & Company report on how big data will revolutionize the global food chain, about one-third of all food is lost during production each year globally in developing and emerging countries, while at the same time, 795 million people go hungry.  

Food loss and wastes cost about $940 Billion and have a carbon footprint of 4.4 Gt CO2-equivalent which is more than eight percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions. 

Technology including drones, radio frequency (RF), autonomous tractors and IoT applications are playing a role in the transformation of agriculture. Combined with the advancements in drone technology and the impact the technology can have on farm production and irrigation, the commercial drone market is quickly expanding to include agriculture.

And it is the RF technology, around since 1895, which is now being applied to precision agriculture in drones, smart sensors, and autonomous tractors. 

RF-powered drones can help optimize resources such as fresh water, fertilizers, and pesticides as well as identify healthy and unhealthy crops and irrigation problems. It boosts production, lowers costs and conserves important resources including water. 

With this kind of technology, farmers can make smarter production decisions, increase their crop yields and make their farms more efficient; and reduce our need for GMOs.