Chioma Okeke
Agricultural technology abbreviated as Agritech is the utilisation of technology to enhance agricultural activities or processes to improve farm productivity, yield, profitability and efficiency. Agritech can be used in various aspects of agriculture such as the farm fields, documentation, pest or weed control, weather forecasting, farm mapping and many more. The technology can be a product, service, software or application.
By using agritech in your farm, you are not only improving your farm’s productivity but also helping to improve agricultural production in the country and providing more agritech jobs.
Evolution of Agritech
The Industrial Revolution changed the face of agriculture forever. Humankind was able to invent tractors to plow the fields and later on developed more sophisticated machines like a combine or a harvester. The industrial revolution set us in motion for decades, and we continued to reap its benefits. Over time, the global population crossed the billion mark while arable land started to shrink due to soil infertility, climate change, and industrial waste. It was time for Agriculture to see a new revolution.
The advent of advanced technology gave birth to a new form of farming – Smart Farming. The industry started to leverage emerging technologies like Internet-of-Things, Big Data, Global Positioning Systems, to track, monitor, analyze, and automate operations. The agri-tech industry now had the power to improve yield while mitigating losses due to climate change. Crop data was used to analyze seed fertility, unmanned aerial vehicles started to map fields, and artificial intelligence began to predict climatic changes. Smart Farming and Precision Agriculture had opened new avenues in technology-driven agriculture coupled with business expansion for farmers and other stakeholders.
Importance of Technology to Agriculture
Agricultural technology can be used in all aspects of agriculture, such as the application of herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers and seeds. Over the years, technology has proven very useful in the agricultural field. Currently, farmers can plant where they think plants would not grow, but this can only be achieved through agricultural biotechnology. For example, genetic engineering makes it possible to introduce certain sequences into other genes in crops or animals. The project improves the resistance of crops to pests, diseases and drought. Through technology, farmers can electrify all processes to achieve higher efficiency and higher yields.
Innovations in Agritech for the Future
Overall, the history of agritech development is a story of innovation, adaptation, and growth. As the world’s population continues to expand, it will be more important than ever to continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in agriculture. With each new advancement, we move one step closer to creating a more sustainable, secure, and prosperous world for everyone.
Agriculture has evolved from diesel engines to data engines in a short time. There’s so much opportunity to build on today’s technology foundation and build even more innovations in agritech. Agriculture will feed a growing population in a resilient way that protects the Earth and natural resources, and Agmatix innovations is utilizing cutting-edge technologies to make this possible. Agmatix is at the forefront of next-generation technologies, making tomorrow’s solutions available today.
In conclusion, agriculture remains a major contributor to the economy of many african countries, Agritech is the future of africa's agruculture, and will help the continent have a massive shift from its current economic position, and give it a cutting edge in the world economy, thereby giving Africa an opportunity to have global relevance.
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