New Technologies in Agriculture and Their Benefits
Introduction
The world of technology is a constantly changing aspect of today’s society. The more advancements are made, the more different areas of production have to make adjustments. In the life of a farmer, many forms of new technologies arise, such as drones and autonomous tractors and harvesters. The field of agriculture is traced back as far as the world’s first civilization in Mesopotamia. In this time period, technology was changing constantly. In the Fertile Crescent, the implementation of the irrigation system and the plow were two technological advancements that changed the field of agriculture. Little did these people know in this time period, these forms of technology are still used to this day. As these inventions were very significant in this time, there are still major developments arising that are just as significant. This document outlines the benefits of the new comings that have been and are being developed in the field of agriculture. While there are certain risks imposed, solutions to these risks are outlined as well.
Examples of New Technology
The field of agriculture is a broad area of production which is responsible for many aspects of life, including food, clothing, building materials, and more. Beth Baker outlines an example of this, perennial polyculture, in her publication titled “Can Modern Agriculture Be Sustainable?”. A group of scientists and farmers aim to “develop an agriculture that functions more like the ecosystem that agriculture replaced” (Baker, pp. 3). Their claim is that in order to bring that ecosystem back, more perennial crops are necessary. Having a higher quantity of perennial crops is not the main goal, but having them to help restore a more functional ecosystem. This includes “transformation of the soil microbiome, and it will include numerous crop species on the landscape” (Baker, pp. 3). These perennial crops can be grown profitably on lands to improve the quality of the soil, water, and wildlife habitats, while reducing runoffs and nitrogen leaching. This form of technology is not necessarily “new,” however it is a new idea which looks back to how the ecosystem was before agriculture existed.
Automation in farming is a form of technology that automates livestock and crop production and allows for more efficiency. According to Linly Ku, a writer for Plug and Play Tech Center, “an increasing number of companies are working on robotics innovation to develop drones, autonomous tractors, robotic harvesters, automatic watering, and seeding robots” (Ku, pp. 4). Autonomous tractors and robotic harvesters allow for the farmer to stay in the comfort of their own home, only keeping track of the machinery through a GPS system. Drones also give farmers the ability to cover a large amount of ground without moving, using a tablet and remote control to view the area via camera “to monitor conditions remotely and even apply fertilizers, pesticides, and other treatments from above” (Ku, pp. 10).
Risks
Many risks are imposed with new developing technology. The main basis of these issues is the sustainability of these developments. Whether it can be sustained or not is in question to agriculturalists as certain problems have emerged over time. An example of a problem that has appeared over time is erosion. The issue farmers face is that they have caused some of these issues themselves by using certain production techniques in the past.
Food security is defined as the status of having access to a sufficient quantity of affordable nutritious food. The field of agriculture will require some sort of shift in order to adjust to the need of food, resulting in different types of crop and livestock production. Systems within agriculture production are facing drastic modernization, which entails a high level of change in structure. Change in structure imposes a risk of potential economic issues: new machinery could require replacement of expensive parts, and starting these new forms of technology could be expensive all around.
Benefits
Many benefits come with these new forms of technology. Automated tractors and other machinery allow for less risk of injury. Alexis Kienlen, a reporter for the AlbertaFarmer Express news platform, states that on older machinery, “whole body vibration is a risk factor for back disorder and back pain and so is extensive static sitting” (Kienlen, pp. 12). Often, critics find faults in new technologies that are intended to improve agriculture. The problems of injury risk while operating this machinery is a major problem; however, new forms of cushioning and caging in tractors and harvesters can prevent injuries. Farm machinery and vehicles are migrating to remote-controlled systems, which include automatic steering and propelling. While older equipment imposes the possibility of infection from rust, new equipment is being developed that is manufactured with different materials. “Stainless steel, plastics, and other materials that don’t corrode are not only safer but will last longer” (Kienlen, pp. 17).
Autonomous machinery in barns and in the field can result in “having workers who have a good understanding of computers and technology, but less exposure to livestock and farm life” (Kienlen, pp. 21). This is true, however, the management systems of the farm businesses can provide a solution to this. Management provides a variety of work environments for farm employees and entails hands-on experience with crops, livestock, and machinery, while being familiar with the technical computer aspect.
Efficiency within producer labor and consumer preferences increases with automated machinery. As consumers desire organic and more sustainably-produced products, automation technology allows produce to be delivered to the consumer faster, fresher, and more sustainably. An increase in productivity “increases the yield and rate of production, therefore reducing costs for customers” (Ku, pp. 13). The costs of a farm consist of many parts, but labor is over 50 percent of the cost to operate and maintain a farm. Linly Ku states that 55 percent of farmers say that they are impacted by shortages in labor and 31 percent of farmers are transitioning to less labor-intensive crops. As this is helpful, it decrease productivity to decrease labor. Harvest robots allow for less labor costs and manpower. “A single strawberry robot harvester has the potential to pick a 25-acre area in 3 days and replace 30 farm workers” (Ku, pp. 14).
What Can We Do?
How can agriculturalists get a better understanding of new technologies? How can they implement these forms of equipment where they can have those benefits without imposing the risks mentioned? It is best to use these forms of technology with an open mind, considering the idea that technology will continue to advance and will become more accessible and easier to use. A good way to gain a better understanding of these types of machinery and tools is to ensure of reading manuals and instructional materials regarding the safety and mechanics of such. As said before, farmers in Mesopotamia experienced significant advancements in technology in their time. Similarly, advancements are being made today that can and will have the same amount of impact on farming as it did then.
References
Baker, B. (2017, April). Can Modern Agriculture Be Sustainable? Perennial polyculture holds promise. In BioScience. Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/67/4/325/3106118
Kienlen, A. (2017, Oct 25). New technology brings new risks to the farm, say experts. In AlbertaFarmer. https://www.albertafarmexpress.ca/news/new-technology-brings-new-risks-to-the-farm-say-experts/.
Ku, L. (2019, May 21). How Automation is Transforming the Farming Industry. In Plug and Play Tech Center. Retrieved from https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/resources/how-automation-transforming-farming-industry/
