Agriculture and Technology: How digital solutions will alter traditional agriculture

Agriculture is only one of the numerous industries that have seen significant change in recent years due to digital technologies. New developments have the potential to completely transform farming methods and make the industry more resilient, sustainable, and efficient. This shift is in line with Europe's ambitious strategy, especially as it relates to the European Innovation Council (EIC), which was founded in 2021 to promote innovative ideas and digital solutions in important industries.

With a €10 billion budget for the years 2021–2027, the EIC aims to assist Europe's leading academics, entrepreneurs, and innovators from the very beginning of their projects to the point of market readiness. Among its purposes is to support the European Union's overarching policy objectives, particularly the "Green Deal", which seeks to make Europe climate-neutral by 2050. Three main areas—Green Deal, Health, and Digital—are identified by the EIC under this framework as the cornerstones for developing technologies that would transform industries like agriculture.

Digital Transformation in Agriculture

In order to address urgent issues like soil degradation, water scarcity, and climate change, digital technologies have made agriculture a key emphasis of the Green Deal. In the EIC working paper 1/2022 “Identification of emerging technologies and breakthrough innovations”, these developments seek to lessen farming's environmental impact while simultaneously increasing output. Artificial intelligence (AI) and agricultural robotics are two of the most promising options in this regard.

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Agriculture: AI technologies, such as computer vision, machine learning, and advanced data analytics, are giving farmers currently unheard-of capabilities. Farmers may use sensors, drones, and satellite data to continuously monitor environmental conditions, crop development, and soil health with AI-powered systems. This makes it possible to make accurate decisions about the use of pesticides, fertilisers, and water, maximising resource efficiency and reducing waste. AI is also capable of making very accurate predictions about agricultural outcomes, which makes risk management and planning more effective. AI-powered crop health monitoring systems can also spot early indicators of disease, pest infestations, or nutrient deficits, enabling farmers to take action before serious harm is done. By lowering the need for hazardous chemical treatments and ensuring healthier crops and higher yields, this real-time feedback loop supports sustainable agricultural methods.
• Agricultural Robotics: Another innovative advancement that is helping to alleviate the manpower crisis in the industry and boost operational effectiveness is robotics in agriculture. These devices, which can do repetitive jobs fast and precisely and lessen the need for manual work, range from autonomous tractors and crop-picking robots to drones that scan vast areas. Farmers that struggle to find enough workers for urgent jobs like harvesting will especially benefit from this.

By automating these labour-intensive tasks, robots not only boost output but also save expenses, increasing farming's profitability and advancing sustainability objectives.

How agrifoodTEF contributes to Europe’s digital future

agrifoodTEF (Agrifood Testing and Experimentation Facility) is essential in this context. The purpose of agrifoodTEF is to guarantee the successful testing, validation, and scaling up of cutting-edge agricultural technology, including AI and robots. agrifoodTEF, a major participant in the European agrifood ecosystem, offers a venue for researchers, startups, and well-established businesses to test their digital solutions in actual farming settings.

Modern testing facilities, knowledgeable advice, and financial resources are all provided by agrifoodTEF, which guarantees that innovations are not only technically sound but also satisfy farmers' real-world requirements. agrifoodTEF assists in bridging the gap between technical advancement and market adoption by collaborations with agricultural companies, legislators, and research organisations. This makes it possible to deploy robotic systems and AI-driven solutions more quickly, opening the door to a more robust, effective, and sustainable agriculture industry.

agrifoodTEF plays a key role in transforming agriculture into a data-driven, high-tech sector that equips farmers with the means to prosper in a world that is changing quickly. agrifoodTEF keeps advancing agriculture as robotics and artificial intelligence become more and more integrated into farming methods, guaranteeing that Europe stays at the forefront of sustainable innovation. This project aims to contribute to the direction in which the European agricultural sector is steering towards, by bringing together innovation and traditional agriculture. By doing so agrifoodTEF can have a great impact on policy decision making on the European level and facilitate the work of farmers all around Europe.

How we contribute

agrifoodTEF offers a Catalogue of Services that displays all services that can be provided to the client and which can be adjusted and tailored to the individual needs of the client. With this Catalogue the clients can browse through all possible solutions and request tailored adjustments to have the ideal service provided to them. Our contribution to this innovative transformation of the agricultural sector will facilitate the engagement between businesses and clients and provide a platform that will guide the client through the possibilities to improve and enhance their labour and productivity as well as providing a sustainable alternative to already existing services.

Visit our Catalogue of Services

Sources:

European Commission: European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency, Lopatka, M., Pólvora, A., Manimaaran, S. and Borissov, R., Identification of emerging technologies and breakthrough innovations, Publications Office of the European Union, 2022, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2826/06288

AI IN AGRICULTURE: A LOOMING CHALLENGE, A GLEAMING OPPORTUNITY. 2024. International Journal of Engineering Science and Humanities, 14(Special Issue 1), pp. 43-52. Available at: https://doi.org/10.62904/3jnm5k59 [Accessed 11 Oct. 2024].