by webadmin01 | Dec 20, 2023 | Farming
The escalating climate challenges in agriculture pose a formidable threat to global food security. The Earth’s changing climate brings about a range of issues that directly impact agricultural systems. Shifts in temperature patterns, altered precipitation regimes, and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods, and storms, create an environment of unpredictability for farmers. These changes disrupt traditional planting and harvesting seasons, leading to reduced crop yields and compromised crop quality. Rising temperatures contribute to the spread of pests and diseases, further jeopardising the health of crops and livestock. Additionally, the phenomenon of changing climate patterns exacerbates water scarcity issues, affecting irrigation and overall water management strategies in australia agriculture. The cumulative effect of these challenges extends beyond the farm gate, influencing global food prices, supply chain stability, and the livelihoods of millions who depend on agriculture. Urgent and coordinated efforts are imperative to develop adaptive strategies, implement sustainable practices, and promote resilience in agriculture to counteract the escalating impact of climate change on the world’s food production systems.
This blog looks into the pivotal role of technology in reshaping farming practices, making them more sustainable, resilient, and capable of mitigating the impact of climate change.

Role of Technology in Reshaping Farming Practices
The role of technology in reshaping farming practices is transformative, ushering in a new era of precision, efficiency, and sustainability in agriculture.
Several key aspects highlight the significant impact of technology in shaping the future of farming:
- Precision Agriculture: Technology enables precision farming, where data-driven decision-making plays a central role. GPS technology, sensors, and drones collect real-time information about soil conditions, crop health, and weather patterns. Farmers can use this data to precisely manage resources such as water, fertilisers, and pesticides. The result is optimised resource utilisation, reduced waste, and improved overall efficiency in agricultural operations.
- Smart Irrigation Systems: Traditional irrigation methods are being replaced by smart irrigation systems that use sensors and automation to monitor soil moisture levels and weather forecasts. This allows for precise and efficient watering, minimising water wastage. Smart irrigation not only conserves water resources but also enhances crop yields by ensuring that plants receive the right amount of water at the right time.
- Climate-Resilient Crop Varieties: Advances in biotechnology have led to the development of genetically modified and climate-resilient crop varieties. These crops are designed to withstand the challenges posed by climate change, such as extreme temperatures, drought, and pests. By leveraging genetic engineering and selective breeding, farmers can cultivate crops that are more resilient to changing environmental conditions.
- IoT and Farm Management: The Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionised farm management. Smart sensors and connected devices monitor various aspects of farming operations, from the performance of machinery to the health of livestock. Farmers can receive real-time updates and alerts, enabling them to make informed decisions promptly. IoT in agriculture automation enhances efficiency, reduces manual labour, and contributes to overall sustainability.
- Drones and Remote Sensing: Drones equipped with cameras and sensors provide a bird’s-eye view of agricultural fields. This technology allows farmers to assess crop health, identify areas of stress or disease, and monitor the overall condition of their crops. Drones enable precision mapping and facilitate targeted interventions, improving the effectiveness of pest control and crop management.
- Blockchain for Supply Chain Transparency: Blockchain technology is being adopted to enhance transparency and traceability in the agricultural supply chain. By recording every transaction and movement of products on a secure and decentralised ledger, blockchain ensures the authenticity of information related to the origin, cultivation practices, and transportation of agricultural products. This transparency not only builds consumer trust but also promotes fair and ethical farming practices.
Wrapping Up,
In the face of climate change, the economics of agriculture are undergoing a transformation. While there are undeniable costs associated with adapting to a changing climate, strategic investments can lead to long-term benefits. Governments, farmers, and stakeholders must work collaboratively to create a sustainable and economically viable future for agriculture in the era of climate change. By balancing costs, reaping benefits, and making strategic investments, we can pave the way for a resilient and thriving agricultural sector.
To know how technology influences Australian agribusiness, get in touch with us at KG2 Australia today!
by admin | Dec 31, 2021 | Agriculture
The world population has been on a rapid rise over recent years. It is estimated that the global food demand levels will hike up by nearly 70% over the next three decades – due to exponential population growth. It was found in a recent survey that over 800 million people worldwide do not have access to sustainable levels of food or other agricultural resources.
As quoted by global agribusiness experts, the purpose of agriculture is to maintain the ability to produce enough food for humanity and continue to do so in the future with minimal risk or friction. And this will only be possible if the basic and essential resources, such as soil, biodiversity and watercourses – can be properly maintained. Unfortunately, much of the world’s arable land is gradually degrading and diminishing due to a number of factors including climatic changes, deforestation issues, urbanisation, large-scale industrialization and other human activities like poor land management, improper tilling, overgrazing, intensive use of agrochemicals etc., which in turn has forced farmers and agribusiness owners to shift their the focus towards maximising the yield from the available land resources. And this is exactly where the concepts of ‘precision agriculture’ and ‘smart farming’ come into the picture.
According to research estimates, the market value of smart agriculture will soar to a projected value of USD 22.5 Billion by 2026 with a growth rate of 8.9% CAGR from an initial value of USD 15.3 Billion in 2020 – thanks to the rapid development and increased adoption of modern-day technologies like Artificial Intelligence, drones, sensors, robotics, cloud computing, big data agribusiness solutions and other advanced IoT (internet of things), tools that are replacing conventional farming methods and tools to become increasingly mainstream in the world of agriculture. Despite the constantly increasing popularity and adoption, there is a major population of farmers out there that is still hesitant about embracing digitisation and automation technologies for farming due to the presence of a fair number of misleading myths.
That said, in this blog, we will bust some of the most common myths about modern agriculture and smart farming that get in the way of farmers’ ability to efficiently and sustainably use main resources to feed the ever-growing population.
CONVENTIONAL FARMING IS NECESSARY TO FEED THE WORLD
It’s not uncommon to hear conventional farmers and advocates of conventional agriculture claim that modern agriculture that involves organic and precision farming produces lower yields and is a recipe for global starvation. A 2015 research and meta-analysis, considered the most extensive yield comparison to date, found that organic yield production averaged almost 20 % less than conventionally grown crops.
However, further in the study when crop yields on conventional farms were compared to those on organic farms which used cover crops and methods like crop rotation to build soil health, the yield gap shrunk to below 10 percent.
It was concluded that the actual gap may be much smaller as some evidence of bias was found in meta-data analysis of studies reporting higher conventional yields. In a nutshell, the basis for claims that organic farming is not sufficient to meet the global food demand as much on specific farming methods used as on the type of farm.
SMART FARMING IS ONLY SUITED TO LARGE-SCALE FARMS
While we cannot deny the direct correlation of the farm and the ability of the farmer to invest higher capital in smart faming tools, it would not be right to assume that smart agriculture solutions are only meant for big farms. According to a report from the FAO, 76% of the total food in the world is produced in small, family-owned farms – this makes it integration of smart farming methods and high-end precision tools in such farms absolutely important. Moreover, commercial farming practices are anticipated to become critical in small farms as well with the increased implementation of customised powerful smart agriculture tools.
3. DIGITAL AGRICULTURE AND DIGITAL FARMING ARE THE SAME
This has to be one of the biggest misconceptions related to smart farming that today’s farmers have. The concept of digital farming focuses on creating actionable intelligence and meaningful value from data; the origins of this form of farming go back to the mid-90s, when the agriculture industry was introduced to the first-ever range of tractors with built-in GPS capabilities. At present, tractors with GPS systems have become more common than ever in Australian farms, along with smart sensors, satellite imaging solutions and agricultural drones, pushing ‘digital farming’ to newer and greater heights. However, it is important to note that ‘digital agriculture’ is not the same, but a much more inclusive and vast concept. While digital farming is mostly limited to the consistent application of field-centric data and operations, digital agriculture goes beyond and includes everything – right from customised farm data software and use of digital platforms for agriculture, tech-backed transportation & logistics, and generation of food technology awareness, to food safety, supply chain optimisation and better engagement of farmers with other stakeholders. The implementations in digital farming make up only a small section of a well-integrated farm management system – which is what digital agriculture is all about.
CONCLUSION
With the evolution of advanced agriculture technologies like IoT, AI and big data in the agriculture industry, it is no surprise that more and more farmers are making their farm operations more intelligent and profitable by switching to precision technologies. However, there are still many farms and agribusinesses that are stuck with conventional agriculture methods and fail to cash in on the great potential and benefits of modern agriculture that largely focuses on data and digitalisation.
Furthermore, whether you own a small farm or a well-established agriculture business, it is inevitable to do extensive research and be aware of your smart farming possibilities with an expert. At KG2, we allow you to focus on your core business while our expert data analysts take care of your field and marketing operations with comprehensive data-backed solutions and custom data farm software.
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