Precision Agriculture
Precision Agriculture refers to a farming management strategy based on observing, measuring, and responding to seasonal, spatial, and inter-field variability to improve agricultural productivity. Sometimes, it is called precision farming, satellite agriculture, and site-specific management. In this regard, information technology (IT) ensures optimum health and productivity of crops and soil, sustainable profitability, and protection of the environment. Agricultural operations are often automated using technology, improving diagnosis, decision-making, or performance.
IT services, software, and specialized equipment are required to achieve precision agriculture. These include access and utilization of real-time data about the crops, soil, and ambient air conditions, as well as other related information, viz., local weather prediction, labor cost, and equipment availability. The collected data are used by software to guide growers on crop rotation, optimal planting time, an optimum amount of water, fertilizers, and pesticides to apply, harvesting times, and soil management. To make precision agriculture a reality, various tools and technologies such as smart sensors, mobile apps, cloud computing, and drones are being used for large farming or small farms. To get precision agriculture, the activities that are popularly done include a. Agricultural mapping and field scouting. b. Soil sampling and analysis. c. Weather monitoring. d. Labor management. e. Equipment management.
Challenges of precision agriculture include data management, integration of data sources and significant investment in technology, cost of software, and time to learn how to use it effectively. Although there are many challenges, precision agriculture's popularity is increasing daily for enhancing and optimizing efficiency and farm income. In conclusion, precision agriculture is accepted worldwide as a new concept for increasing the productivity and profitability of farming, reducing labor time, and improving the efficiency of fertilizers and irrigation water in crop production. [Md. Tofazzal Islam]
