Farmers, ranchers and participants throughout the food and agriculture industry are beginning to show strong interest in machine-to-machine (M2M) communications and Internet of Things (IoT) technology. They’ll need to embrace both if the food and nutritional needs of a world population projected to rise to 9.6 billion by 2050 are going to be met, according to new smart farming market research from Beecham Research.
So-called ¨smart farming¨ is still in its infancy, and stakeholders need to focus on forging partnerships in order to take advantage of the benefits that machine-to-machine (M2M) communications and IoT networks offer. Doing so can transform the agricultural industry and improve productivity, yields and the quality of food, the Boston-based market research company highlights in a press release.
¨The demand for more food has to be set against the challenges of arising climate change and more extreme weather conditions along with the environmental impact resulting from intensive farming practices,” Beecham Research senior analyst and report co-author Therese Corey pointed out.
Smart Farming Market Research
The smart farm/ranch concept envisions everyday farm and ranch activities and processes being informed and guided by M2M machine-to-human exchange of real-time and historical data, such as weather events, climate conditions, economics, product information and machine settings. It’s a concept that’s gaining credibility and adherents in the agricultural sector, Corey said.
“We also anticipate that the use of smart farming will spread to adjunct areas, such as environmental monitoring, land management and food traceability. This is a consequence of the greater public focus on issues such as food safety, wildlife preservation and rural areas development,” she added.
Installation and informed use of M2M and IoT technology, such as wireless sensors and low power wireless networks, can improve agriculture in a variety of ways over both the immediate and long term, according to Beecham.
Short-term improvements to productivity and waste range from reductions in fertilizer use to the number of journeys made by vehicles. Over the long term, rolling out wireless sensor networks and embedding intelligence into farm and ranch equipment, devices and vehicles will enable stakeholders to gather much more precise, comprehensive data that can lead to better understanding of variable operating conditions and better decision making from both narrow and wide-angle frames of reference.
Applied to crop farming, use of M2M and IoT technology includes preparing soil, precise, and optimal timing of planting and harvesting, Beecham explains. For livestock farming it includes monitoring the physical condition of livestock to help ensure optimal amounts, quantity and timing of feed, water and other resources.
Beecham principal analyst and report co-author Saverio Romero noted that the next two years will be a critical period for IoT in agriculture given the early stage of technological development. “While the M2M agricultural sector is still emerging, M2M and IoT technologies will be key enablers for transforming the agricultural sector and creating the smart farming vision,” he was quoted.
Romero pointed out that smart farms and ranches are emerging in the European Union (EU) amidst funding and program support at the regional and national government levels and private sector investment.
That said, the U.S. agriculture industry is leading the way forward, he continued, noting that a variety of players, including multinational agri-food giants, such as Monsanto, and farm equipment manufacturers, such as John Deere, are focusing considerable amounts of attention on data and farm management systems that make use of M2M/IoT technology.
“The US market is leading the way in smart farming, particularly in areas such as arable farming. Europe is increasingly looking into small-sized field farming, precision livestock farming and smart fish farming; and this trend will soon expand into other important agricultural economies,¨ Romero elaborated.
From a broader, global perspective, ¨the pace of change will intensify from 2017 to 2020, he concluded. ¨While the M2M/IoT industries will not see the light from the agricultural sector immediately, they need to be prepared, because it will be strong and bright.¨