New Technologies in Agriculture: For 2023 and Beyond

The global demand for food continues to rise and is projected to increase up to 102% to satisfy the requirements of 9 billion people by 2050. Consequently, agricultural production needs to also increase by 60%-70% to ensure the supply of raw materials for food, feed, and fiber. Ensuring a sustainable future, despite today’s sustained and intensified pressure on global resources, means that each actor in the food system needs to commit themselves to develop and enforcing practices that will reduce the use of natural resources where possible, and reuse, recycle, and repurpose them otherwise. Government entities can aid these efforts by implementing policies and strategies for efficient resource management on both national and local levels.

Adopting sustainable farming practices worldwide is contributing to the agroecosystem’s efforts to meet the world’s current food needs while also ensuring that future generations will be able to meet theirs with the limited resources that they will have. These practices also focus on holistic development that incorporates environmental, social, and economic sustainability which are the three fundamental pillars of sustainable development.

New Technologies in Agriculture- How do they help ensure Economic Sustainability?

Technological advancements are today integral to attaining sustainability goals in agriculture. Satellite and GPS technologies, sensors, smart irrigation, drones, and automation, to list a few, provide the means for precision agriculture, which further aids in effective resource utilization. On the one hand, they reduce the use of harmful agrochemicals and, on the other, they help conserve non-renewable resources. They also help agriculturists to prepare days in advance for unseasonal or extreme weather events, thereby reducing crop losses during such events.

Other technologies that hold the promise of promoting sustainability are blockchain technologies for food safety through greater transparency, controlled environmental agriculture (CEA), and biotechnology, along with 3D printing technology that allows the production of food products while saving both time and energy. Scientific research and advancements in agriculture enable farmers to utilize the best of traditional and technology-led crop production for nutritious, high-output yield while causing as little damage to the environment as possible and ensuring cost-effectiveness. With adequate and timely information at hand, even remotely-located rural farmers can adopt practices for sustainable and climate-smart agriculture that result in economic gains. Watch how Cropin made this possible.

One of the ways for a stakeholder to realize economic sustainability is by achieving optimal production quantities at lower production costs. Data from satellite images, sensors, and IoT devices facilitate smarter decisions to optimize farm operations by using as minimal resources as possible and mitigating risks to realize optimal crop yields. Traceability in agriculture makes agri-supply chains more transparent and provides stakeholders with increased control over operations and quality compliance. It enables them to identify and address issues, such as food loss or wastage, and recognize opportunities to make processes cost-effective. They also help reduce the stakeholders’ response time to food crises, thus saving up to millions of dollars in losses. Traceability to source, along with accurate certification and product labeling, provides agri-enterprises with a competitive edge that helps improve their access to local and international markets and leads to better price realization for smallholder farmers.