Technology is fascinating. It has made the lives of entrepreneurs easier by digitising inventory and business processes, increasing access to the market and improving working conditions. The same is true for agricultural technology. Many agritech tools have been created to improve the lives of farmers across the globe. Although some of these tools might not be a great fit for your farming business, or might not be available yet, we have gathered some tech solutions that are worthy of note.
Agricultural Drone Technology
Drone technology is already being utilised on farms as part of security and surveillance. In many parts of South Africa, drone sprayers are forming part of a robust pest control regimen on both grains and grapes.
These tools have benefits in precision agriculture as it is able to either target specific spots in a field that is suffering as well as cover larger areas with ease. It can be used for both pesticides and fertilisers. However, one of the drawbacks is the volume (and weight) limitations of drone sprayers versus a traditional crop sprayer.
International companies such as Farm Fleet have pioneered the use of rented drones to complete these tasks and then be returned (lower capital investment for a large spraying drone for the farmer). But it isn’t only this Ukrainian business leading the charge. One local business where farmers can find this technology is through PACSys. This is of particular interest because the Agricultural Research Council has estimated the small drone industry in South Africa to reach R 2, 5 billion in 2025.
Innovative Agritech Apps and Digital Tools
South Africa’s technology landscape is at the forefront of technological developments. It’s, therefore, no surprise that there are multiple innovative agritech apps and digital solutions that were born on home ground. Some of these include the farm management software Khula!, the stock auctioneering platform Meerkat and even Farmtrace and GreenAgri.
These tools help farmers manage their farms including finances, employees and produce. Farmers are able to access markets to sell their products or livestock.
Autonomous Farming Vehicles
Autonomous vehicles are the talk of the town and agricultural advancements are also working towards bringing it to farms. Almost every original equipment manufacturer (OEMs) has some form of self-driving farm equipment that they have sent sights on. At the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES), John Deere showcased their driverless autonomy mode that will be available for tillage function in the 8R and 9R tractors.
Kubota also shared their autonomous concepts such as the Agri Concept 2.0, an electric tractor concept with data- and AI-driven autonomous mode, and the Smart Autonomous Sprayer, a fully autonomous orchard chemical sprayer.
The motivation for farmers to have autonomous vehicles is to reduce labour costs, but also save time where workers can alternatively focus their efforts on the farm.
Soil Health Measurement Tools
With the increased interest in regenerative agriculture, the desperate need to improve soil health is more important than ever. Factors such as soil compaction, nutrient density and microbial activity are all factors that impact the health of your crops and ultimately, your yield.
Companies such as PES Technologies have developed a soil testing tool that quickly and easily gives results to users, be it farmers or agronomists. Topsoil samples can be geotagged and analysis is conducted using cloud-based software. The handheld reader delivers data about the biological, chemical, and physical soil health indicators.
Armed with this data, soil management decisions can be made to improve the overall conditions.
Other soil health technologies that are available in the market include carbon measurement tools. Furthermore, there are sensors and satellite imaging that are also used to identify, diagnose and map soil conditions over large areas.
Among the above-mentioned technologies, agricultural technology brands are also hard at work to bring artificial intelligence, machine learning and blockchain technology to farms. The companies that are working on these innovations are focused on bringing agricultural entrepreneurs solutions that improve their businesses and make them more profitable. Thanks to their dedication, many farmers are already reaping the benefits – literally.
