Use of technology in agriculture
Agricultural technology
or
agrotechnology
(abbreviated
agtech, agritech
,
AgriTech
, or
agrotech
) is the use of
technology
in
agriculture
,
horticulture
, and
aquaculture
with the aim of improving yield, efficiency, and profitability. Agricultural technology can be products, services or applications derived from agriculture that improve various input and output processes.
[1]
[2]
Advances in
agricultural science
,
agronomy
, and
agricultural engineering
have led to applied developments in agricultural technology.
[3]
[4]
History
[
edit
]
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(
November 2020
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The
history of agriculture
has been shaped by technological advances. Agricultural technology dates back thousands of years. Historians have described a number of
agricultural revolutions
, which identify major shifts in agricultural practice and productivity. These revolutions have been closely connected to technological improvements.
Neolothic to Bronze age
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Around 10,000 years ago, the
Neolithic Revolution
catalyzed an epochal transformation. Humanity transitioned from nomadic hunter-gatherer societies to stable agricultural communities. This transition bore witness to the domestication of vital plants and animals, including wheat, barley, and livestock, fundamentally altering the agricultural landscape. The surplus food production that ensued fueled population growth and laid the cornerstone for nascent civilizations.
Irrigation
technology was developed independently by a number of different cultures, with the earliest known examples dated to the 6th millennium BCE in
Khuzistan
in the south-west of present-day
Iran
.
[5]
[6]
The
ancient Egyptian
use of the
Nile River's flooding
, marked another significant advancement.
Classical period
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The
Roman era
ushered in notable contributions to agricultural technology. The Romans introduced innovative implements, such as the Roman plough, a notable refinement in soil cultivation. In tandem, they compiled comprehensive agricultural manuals like "
De Re Rustica
," serving as invaluable records of contemporary farming techniques.
Middle ages
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The
Middle Ages
bequeathed
significant agricultural progress
. Concepts like
crop rotation
and the
three-field system
enhanced soil fertility and crop yields, while the introduction of the
heavy plow
, driven by draft animals, facilitated the cultivation of previously uncultivated lands.
Industrial Revolution
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A major turning point for agricultural technology is the
Industrial Revolution
, which introduced
agricultural machinery
to mechanise the labour of agriculture, greatly increasing farm worker productivity. Revolutionary inventions like the seed drill, mechanical reaper, and steam-powered tractors reshaped the farming landscape. This period also witnessed the establishment of agricultural societies and colleges dedicated to advancing farming methodologies. In modern
mechanised agriculture
powered machinery has replaced many farm jobs formerly carried out by manual labour or by working animals such as oxen, horses and mules.
Advances in the 19th century included the development of modern
weather forecasting
and invention of
barbed wire
. Improvement to
portable engines
and
threshing machines
led to their widespread adoption.
Guano
became a popular fertilizer in the 1800s and was widely extracted for this purpose. Guano use rapidly declined after 1910 with the development of the
Haber?Bosch process
for extracting nitrogen from the atmosphere.
20th century
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]
The 20th century saw major advances in agricultural technologies, including the development of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and new agricultural machinery including
mass produced
tractors and
agricultural aircraft
for
aerial application
of pesticides. More recent advances have included
agricultural plastics
,
genetically modified crops
, improved
drip irrigation
,
integrated pest management
, and soilless farming techniques such as
hydroponics
,
aquaponics
, and
aeroponics
.
21st century
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]
In the first decades of the 21st century,
Information Age
technologies have been increasingly applied to agriculture.
Agricultural robots
,
agricultural drones
and
driverless tractors
have found regular use on farms, while
digital agriculture
and
precision agriculture
make use of extensive
data collection
and computation to improve farm efficiency.
[7]
Precision agriculture includes such areas as
precision beekeeping
,
precision livestock farming
, and
precision viticulture
.
Agtech hubs
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]
Israel
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]
Israel's agtech scene is considered second only to the US.
[8]
Israel holds several instiutions of agricultural research including the
Volcani center
.
[9]
Israeli milk cows have the highest production of milk in the world.
[9]
The
modern cherry tomato
was developed in Israel.
[9]
Modern Agricultural Technology Tools
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Climate Monitoring
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Nutrition Management
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Crop Inspection
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Farm Management
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Hydroponics
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]
Hydroponics is a method of cultivating plants without soil. Instead, it relies on a nutrient-rich water solution to deliver essential minerals and nutrients directly to the plant roots. This approach allows for precise control over growing conditions and can lead to increased crop yields and faster growth rates.
Vertical Farming
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]
Vertical farming is a contemporary agricultural technique that cultivates crops in vertically stacked layers or inclined surfaces within controlled indoor settings. This innovative approach leverages technology and controlled environments to enhance crop growth.
[10]
A growing global population and urbanization strain traditional agriculture, with declining arable land per person. To ensure food security for a projected 9.7 billion people by 2050, solutions like urban vertical farming are emerging. This technology-intensive approach utilizes stacked layers within controlled indoor environments to potentially increase food production while reducing its environmental footprint. Proponents tout its advantages as a clean and controlled system, potentially free from pests, diseases, and weather variations, while also reducing transportation needs. However, a comprehensive evaluation of both potential benefits and drawbacks, alongside further economic analysis, is crucial to inform policymakers and guide future decisions related to sustainable food production.
[11]
Agricultural Drones
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]
Agricultural drones, also known as "ag drones," are specialized
unmanned aerial vehicles
(UAVs) or remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) tailored for agricultural applications. These drones are outfitted with an array of sensors, cameras, and advanced technology to aid in agricultural and land management tasks. Their purposes encompass crop monitoring, efficient irrigation management, early pest and disease detection, precise crop spraying, and detailed crop mapping, among others.
Agro-textiles
[
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]
Agro-textiles is the segmented class of
technical textiles
that deals focuses on the agriculture sector, with an approach to crop protection and crop development and reducing the risks of farming practices. Primarily agro-textiles offer weather resistance and resistance to microorganisms and protection from unwanted elements and external factors. Agro-textiles helps to improve the overall conditions with which crop can develop and be protected. There are the various
textile
products, fabrics forms,
fibers
and techniques used in agro-textiles which are useful for agriculture mainly for
crop protection
and in crop development for instance shade nets,
thermal insulation
and sunscreen materials, windshield, antibird nets, which provide minimal shading and proper temperature, air circulation for protecting plants from direct sunlight and birds. Agrotextiles involves mulch mats, hail protection nets, and crop covers, etc. Agro-textiles are useful in
horticulture
,
aquaculture
, landscape gardening and
forestry
also. More examples of use and application are covering livestock protection, suppressing weed and insect control, etc.
[12]
More technologies and applications
[
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]
List of Agtech hubs
[
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]
The following is a 2021 list of by startup genome ranking Global Agtech & New Food tech ranking.
[13]
See also
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References
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]
- ^
"Agriculture Technology | National Institute of Food and Agriculture"
.
nifa.usda.gov
. Retrieved
2020-12-23
.
- ^
"Agricultural technology"
.
Encyclopedia Britannica
. Retrieved
2020-12-23
.
- ^
"Agricultural Technology Center > Agricultural Technology Center"
.
english.busan.go.kr
. Retrieved
2020-12-23
.
- ^
"The evolution of agricultural technology"
.
Innovation News Network
. 2020-07-08
. Retrieved
2020-12-23
.
- ^
Flannery, Kent V.
(1969).
"Origins and ecological effects of early domestication in Iran and the Near East"
. In
Ucko, Peter John
; Dimbleby, G. W. (eds.).
The Domestication and Exploitation of Plants and Animals
. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Transaction Publishers (published 2007). p. 89.
ISBN
9780202365572
. Retrieved
2019-01-12
.
- ^
Lawton, H. W.; Wilke, P. J. (1979).
"Ancient Agricultural Systems in Dry Regions of the Old World"
. In Hall, A. E.; Cannell, G. H.; Lawton, H.W. (eds.).
Agriculture in Semi-Arid Environments
. Ecological Studies. Vol. 34 (reprint ed.). Berlin: Springer Science & Business Media (published 2012). p. 13.
ISBN
9783642673283
. Retrieved
2019-01-12
.
- ^
"Agricultural Technology - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics"
.
www.sciencedirect.com
. Retrieved
2020-12-23
.
- ^
Kwakman, Rebecca (2021-08-11).
"Why Israel is leading global agricultural technology"
.
All About Feed
. Retrieved
2024-06-17
.
- ^
a
b
c
"A closer look at Israel's ag tech boom"
.
www.farmprogress.com
. Retrieved
2024-06-17
.
- ^
Birkby, Jeff (January 2016).
"Vertical Farming"
.
ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture Program
. Retrieved
6 February
2022
.
- ^
Benke, Kurt & Tomkins, Bruce. (2017). Future food-production systems: Vertical farming and controlled-environment agriculture. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy. 13. 13-26. 10.1080/15487733.2017.1394054.
- ^
Annapoorani, Grace S. (2018).
Agro Textiles and Its Applications
. Woodhead Publishing. p. 4.
ISBN
978-93-85059-89-6
.
- ^
Genome, Startup.
"Startup Genome"
.
Startup Genome
. Retrieved
2024-06-17
.