3 minute read
Future Farming
Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the agricultural industry
BY BRIAN ANGELI
AS THE WORLD POPULATION continues to grow and the demand for food, protein, and feed rises annually, farmers face the challenge of growing more crops on less land under increasingly stressful climatic conditions. With the world population expected to reach over 9.5 billion in 2050, farmers are turning to new innovative technology and agricultural practices to help manage crops sustainably and efficiently.
A new generation of farmers, equipped with smartphones, field monitoring systems and GPS-guided equipment, are leveraging the latest advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance their ability to detect, monitor, and respond to crop diseases, insects and other threats more effectively. Every harvest brings new challenges but a common goal—achieve the greatest value from the land while minimizing the resources required. Crop damage from pests can create a serious problem for farmers, leading to yield loss and decreased profitability if left unchecked. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that pests destroy up to 40% of global crops annually.
With variations in pest pressure becoming one of the most significant climate-related challenges facing growers today, early detection of an insect infestation is critical to addressing and even preventing yield and quality issues. Traditional pest scouting methods can be inefficient and infective as they focus on collecting and analyzing current data rather than forecasting future pest pressure. FMC Corporation is helping shape the future of agriculture by equipping growers with critical data and predictive modeling via Arc™ farm intelligence, a digital platform. Powered by historical data and leveraging pest pressure with local weather information, Arc™ farm intelligence enables better planning and more precise targeting of crop protection applications before pests damage crops and yields are impacted.
Arc™ farm intelligence is currently deployed across 20 million acres spanning over 20 countries and 20 crops. In Spain, FMC has been helping Conesa Group, the leading tomato processing company in Europe, meet its sustainability objectives while protecting crops from damaging insects like cotton bollworms and tomato leafminers. A network of smart traps deployed in the fields of Consesa Group farmers provides enhanced field-level insights that identify emerging hotspots and recommend they apply crop protection products when and where needed. This has led to reductions in the frequency of product applications and associated benefits to cost, labor, emissions, and environmental impact.
FMC provides Conesa Group growers with training on good agricultural practices and the sustainable use of crop protection products, including application techniques and timing, proper dose rates and resistance management. FMC’s partnership with Conesa Group demonstrates how the integration of artificial intelligence in crop protection is revolutionizing the way the agricultural industry is approaching sustainable agriculture and helping to ensure global food security.
The incorporation of artificial intelligence in crop protection represents a significant advancement for sustainable agriculture. By continuing to improve artificial intelligence capabilities in pest detection, real-time monitoring, predictive modeling, and precision agriculture, farmers can enhance the health of their crops and protect yields from climate change and pest destruction.
Brian Angeli is vice president of corporate strategy and precision and digital agriculture at FMC Corporation.
