C2: ICT in Agriculture

Smart Farming
Dr Wida Susanty Haji Suhaili
ICT: What do they have in common
§ ICT includes products that store, process, transmit, convert, duplicate
or receive electronic information.
§ Allow gathering of information to be done digitally.
§ Communication of these information is allowed by the presence of
technology.
§ Transformed all analog information and processes to digital
(Digitalization)
• Four main types of communication technology are:
• Telephone, Radio, Television and Internet
 Benefits of ICT in
Agriculture
• Information and communication technology
allows people to effectively communicate in
the technological world.
• Increased agricultural productivity and income
or by reducing risks
• Connecting smallholder farmers to knowledge,
networks and institutions
• Use for inclusive value chains
• These innovations have taken over certain
duties that people never would have
imagined a machine to do, such as
answering phones and giving human-like
responses or speaking into a device and
having it write a message for you.
• . If multiple technology tools are being used
by an individual or business, they should be
connected.

TechTarget
ICT: Information and Communications Technology
§ A collection of services that aim to upscale basic tasks.
§ Includes services such as data management, telecommunications,
computing and the internet.
§ ICT is important in a number of industries which includes and the
examples are:
Industries Examples
• Education
Education Admission Processing, School Management System, LMS etc
• Health Care Health Care Health Management System, Patient record keeping, Medicine
• eCommerce Tracking System etc
• Transport eCommerce POS, Online Shopping sites, Delivery Services, Banking System
• Agriculture Transport Bus Transport System, Ticketing System, Driving License System,
Car Registration System etc
Agriculture is a risky enterprise – can digital help
Weather

Labour

Production
Risk Knowledge

Quality Inputs

Access to
Credit
Post Harvest
Storage
Digital tools offer pathways
Risks
Agriculture
Risk
Market
Information
to mitigate agriculture risk
Access to
Market Risk
Market
Price
Volatility

Limited Land
Ecological
Risk Limited
Water
Agriculture is a risky enterprise – can digital help
Weather • Climate Change will cause more uncertainty

Labour • Mechanization mitigates labour shortage but funding is constrained.

Production • Traditional Agriculture extension systems are inadequate and lack

Risk Knowledge
depth to help farmers deal with exigencies like pests, disease etc
Quality Inputs • Timely access to quality seeds and fertilizers is still unreliable
Access to • Most farmers lack access to structured credit markets making them
Credit a prey for the money lenders
Post Harvest
Storage • County can loss farm produce if quality storage compromised
Risks
Agriculture
Market
Risk • High levels of Information asymmetry due to variety of reasons
Information
Access to
Market Risk • Access to markets is still a challenge due to high transportation costs
Market
Price
Volatility • Price Volatility tends to benefit only speculators

Limited Land • Rapidly degrading land and soil health pose a challenge to ecology
Ecological and future productivity.
Risk Limited • Declining Ground water table and erratic rainfall poses a serious
Water
challenge to reliable source of water for irrigation

Digital tools offer pathways to mitigate agriculture risk

A mind map for ICT in Agriculture
Main phases in the agriculture sector
Pre-cultivation Crop cultivation Post harvest
and harvesting

Crop selection Land preparation Marketing

Land selection Sowing

Transportation

Calendar definition Input management

Packaging

Access to credit Water management

Food processing
Fertilization

Pest management
Information produced/needed
Pre-cultivation Crop cultivation Post harvest
and harvesting

Crop selection Land preparation

Marketing
Land selection Sowing

Input management Transportation

Calendar definition

Access to credit Water management Packaging

Fertilization
Food processing

Pest management

Information for Information for the sound Information related to

the selection of the best crop management of the whole cropping post-harvest techniques
according to their land, activities, including the resilience to and tools, marketing and
access to input and credit, natural (e.g. weather) and transportation infrastructures,
market (Cost-Benefit), etc. anthropogenic shocks etc.
Application of ICT
Decision Support System (DSS), modeling
software, e/m-learning, e/m-consulting,
Knowledge Management Systems (KMS)
Pre-cultivation

Crop selection
DSS, GIS, Remote sensing,
e/m-consulting, KMS, sampling devices
connected to networking tools
Land selection

Calendar definition

KMS, e/m-consulting, e/m-learning, DSS,

Access to credit
GIS

Networking tools (mobile phones, radios,

wireless networks), Management
Information System (MIS), e-commerce and
mobile commerce
Application of ICT
KMS, e/m-learning, e/m-consulting, GPS, GIS,
computer controlled devices, machine2machine
Crop cultivation communication and sensor networks
and harvesting
GPS, GIS, e/m-learning, e/m-consulting, computer
Land preparation controlled devices, m2m communication, sensor
networks
Sowing

DSS, MIS, GPS/GIS, e/m-learning

Input management

Water management
DSS, GIS, MIS, sensor networks, m2m communication

Fertilization

DSS, GIS, MIS, sensor networks, m2m communication

Pest management

DSS, GIS, management information system, sensor

networks, m2m communication
Application of ICT
Post harvest Networking tools (mobile phones, lo-fi technologies)
for broadcast
Marketing

GPS, GIS, MIS, DBMS, tracing devices, m2m

Transportation
communication

Packaging
Tracing devices, KMS, e/m-learning, e/m-consulting,
GPS, GIS
Food processing

Farm to fork tracing tools – GPS, RFID, GIS,

DBMS, MIS, KMS, e/m-learning, e/m-consulting,
machine2machine communication
 Mind map for ICT in Agriculture
KMS, e/m-learning, e/m-consulting, GPS, GIS, computer controlled devices,
machine2machine communication and sensor networks

GPS, GIS, e/m-learning, e/m-consulting, computer controlled devices, m2m

communication, sensor networks

DSS, MIS, GPS/GIS, e/m-learning

Decision Support System (DSS), Pre-cultivation Crop cultivation Post harvest

modeling software, e/m- and harvesting Networking tools (mobile
learning, e/m-consulting, phones, lo-fi technologies) for
Knowledge Management broadcast
Systems (KMS) Crop selection
Land preparation Marketing
DSS, GIS, Remote sensing, GPS, GIS, MIS, DBMS, tracing
e/m-consulting, KMS, sampling Sowing devices, m2m communication
Land selection
devices connected to Transportation
networking tools
Input management Tracing devices, KMS, e/m-
KMS, e/m-consulting, e/m- Packaging learning, e/m-consulting, GPS,
Calendar definition
learning, DSS, GIS GIS
Water management
Networking tools (mobile Farm to fork tracing tools –
phones, radios, wireless Access to credit GPS, RFID, GIS,
networks), Management Fertilization DBMS, MIS, KMS, e/m-
Food processing
Information System (MIS), e- learning, e/m-consulting,
commerce and mobile machine2machine
commerce Pest management communication

DSS, GIS, MIS, sensor networks, m2m communication

DSS, GIS, management information system, sensor networks, m2m communication

 FAO E Agriculture Strategy Guide
• Provides a framework to holistically address the ICT opportunities and challenges for the
agricultural sector
• Created to prevent e-agriculture projects and services from being implemented in isolation
• FAO- ITU e-Agricultural Strategy Guide: Framework for countries in developing their
national e-Agriculture strategy masterplan.
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
• International Telecommunication Union
• Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA)
• Some of the countries that uses this are: Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea,
Philippines, Pakistan, Fiji, Cambodia, Indonesia, Turkey, Tajikistan and Armenia
• Framework to engage a broader stakeholders in the development of national e-agriculture
strategy
• Provide guidance on emerging technologies and how it could be used to address some of
the challenges in agriculture through documenting case studies.
• E-agriculture in Action: Big Data for Agriculture, Blockchain for Agriculture, Drones for
Agriculture.
Reading Materials
• Success stories on Information and Communication Technologies for
Agriculture and Rural Development
 How to address the multiple
References demands placed on agriculture?
Climate-Smart Agriculture

Federica Matteoli
Natural Resources Officer
Climate and Environment Division
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
 Why the agriculture sectors need
Climate-Smart Agriculture more than
ever
CSA More relevant than ever
Recent developments in the UNFCCC process have brought agriculture fully into
global climate change negotiations and positioned CSA as a highly strategic
initiative:

• First, the relevance of CSA is reflected very clearly in the large number of
countries that include agriculture in their Nationally Determined
Contributions— both as regards adaptation and mitigation— under the Paris
Climate Accord.

• Then, at COP23 in Bonn in November 2017, negotiators reached a landmark

agreement to have the Subsidiary Body for Science and Technological Advice
(SBSTA) and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) review issues
associated with agriculture by using workshops and technical expert meetings.
 Supporting

What is Climate-Smart enabling policy

frameworks

Agriculture?
Strengthening
Expanding the
evidence base 5 ACTIONS TO national and local
institutions

3 PILLARS OF CSA IMPLEMENT A

CSA APPROACH
1. to 2. to build 3. to reduce
sustainably resilience and and/or remove
increase adaptation to GHG emissions,
agricultural climate change; where possible.
productivity and and Implementing Enhancing financing
improve the
practices at field options
incomes and
livelihoods of level
farmers
How to address the multiple
demands placed on agriculture?
 1. Expand the evidence base
• Assessing the situation
• What are actual and predicted CC impacts at sub-national levels?
• Which areas or farming systems and households have highest exposure & sensitivity?
• Which agricultural practices and livelihood strategies best respond to improve productivity,
incomes and resilience?
• What are the mitigation potentials?
• Identifying and evaluating potential climate-smart options for adapting to the expected
impacts of climate change while at the same time supporting sustainable agricultural
development.
• use economic and social criteria that are in line with national food security and development
objectives
• consideration needs to be given to the potential synergies and trade-offs for the proposed climate-
smart agriculture interventions relative to the baseline activities
• Determining the institutional and financing needs that must be met to implement the priority
actions
• What are costs and barriers to adoption?
• identifying issues related to the sustainability of production systems and preparing the
required policy and institutional responses
 2. Support enabling policy frameworks (e.g. national
agricultural development plans, provisional and local
extensions to national plans)

qThere may be a need to modify existing policy measures to exploit the synergies and minimize the
trade-offs between the three obj of CSA
qHowever, some trade-offs may have to be accepted and possibly compensated for when achieving
synergies is not possible

Before designing new CSA policies:

• assess the intended and unintended effects of a wide range of current international and national
agricultural and non-agricultural agreements and policies on climate-smart agriculture objectives, and
take into account other national development priorities
• focus on filling policy gaps and contribute to a country-driven approach to capacity development in
the short and long term
• Understanding the socio-economic and gender-differentiated barriers and incentive mechanisms that
determine the adoption of climate-smart agriculture practices
 3. Strengthen national and
local institutions
• Increase cross-sectoral dialogues to enhance coordination between institutions
dealing with agricultural, climate change, social protection, food security and other
issues at the local, national and international levels.

• These dialogues can take the form of dedicated workshops to consider emerging
policies, or presentations and discussions among standing committees or public
sector bodies involved in policy formation.

• Build the capacities of national policy makers to participate in international policy

fora on climate change and agriculture, and reinforce their engagement with local
government authorities.
 4. Enhancing financing options
• Innovative financing mechanisms to climate finance and agricultural investments
from the public and private sectors are central to implementing climate-smart
agriculture.
• New climate financing mechanisms, such as the Green Climate Fund, may be a way
of spurring sustainable agricultural development.
• Strong Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) and National
Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs),
are key national policy instruments for creating links to national and international
sources of finance.
• National sector budgets and official development assistance will continue to be
the main sources of funding.
• Integrating climate change issues into sector planning and budgeting is a
prerequisite for successfully addressing the impacts of climate change.
• Linking climate finance to agricultural investments requires the capacity to
measure, report and verify that interventions that have received funding are
indeed generating adaptation and mitigation benefits.
• An evidence base for climate-smart agriculture can provide much of the
information needed for making this link.
 5. Implementing practices in the field
• Farmers, pastoralists, foresters and fisherfolk are the primary
custodians of knowledge about their environment, agricultural
ecosystems, crops, livestock, forests, fish and local climatic
patterns.
• Efforts to adapt a climate-smart agriculture approach to a specific
setting must take into account local producers’ knowledge,
requirements and priorities.
• Local project managers and institutions can engage with
agricultural producers to identify suitable climate-smart
agriculture options that can be easily adopted and implemented.
 Global Alliance for Climate-
Smart Agriculture (GACSA)
• GACSA is an inclusive, voluntary and action-oriented multi-
stakeholder platform on Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA).

• FAO is a partner in GACSA, was heavily involved in creating the

alliance, and hosts the facilitation unit (Secretariat).

• Through an Italian funded project, CBC represents FAO in GACSA, the

Strategic Committee and the Action Groups on Knowledge, Enabling
Environment and Investment. Through the Italian funded project

• CBC has co-convened the Knowledge Action Group (KAG) composed

of GACSA members and interested stakeholders from 2013-16:

• support to development of knowledge products, online

consultations, webinars on CSA, and to international and regional
workshops with GACSA’s network of 5,000 experts.
 Climate-Smart Agriculture practices and food systems: The
case of small family crop diversification in Malawi

THE BENEFITS AND IMPACTS OF CROP DIVERSIFICATION:

v Farming households can spread production and income risk
over a wider range of crops.
v Diversification can produce agronomic benefits in terms of
pest management and soil quality and nutritional benefits
by promoting dietary diversity depending on the crop
combination.
v Crop diversification is an important adaptation and
vulnerability reduction strategy that can help distribute risk
v Increase productivity and stabilize incomes of small-scale
family farmers, thus improving food access.
 Alternate wetting and drying for
more efficient rice farms in Vietnam
Food and income: AWD maintains productivity & lowers water use and
emissions. Reduced input use (water, fertilizers, insecticides) decreases costs
and thus raises incomes.

Adaptation: Reducing water use by up to 30% through AWD enables rice

farmers in areas with growing water stress to continue to cultivate rice
without adverse impacts on yield.

Mitigation: AWD decreases the methane emissions by around 50% from rice
cultivation
Early warning systems and their role to
support governments on CSA in Uganda
EARLY WARNING SYSTEM
An Early warning system was
designed for the whole of Karamoja
region by ACTED in collaboration
with the Local and National
governments, UN agencies, and
development partners.
METHODOLOGY
This system consists of collecting and analysing
data monthly, scrutinizing the information
generated and disseminating it to the community
who is at risk in the region/district/sub-counties.
This information, which is related to the level of
vulnerability and the pending risk, is delivered in
a timely manner.
Information Communication Technology
Digital Services in Africa
An application “Weather and Crop Calendar”
combine information on weather forecasts and crop
calendars.
Weather and
Crop The applications will be developed initially for use in
calendar two countries in Sub-Saharan Africa: Senegal and
Rwanda.

The mobile application provides early warning

services to highlight potential risks and help increase
resilience.

Climate Risk Management has proven to help farmers

“make informed decisions, better manage risk, take
advantage of favourable climate conditions, and
adapt to change”.
Digital
Transformation
in Agriculture
Indian Agricultural Sector
§ Food grain surplus yet high wastage.
§ 80% of the population lives in rural areas and depends on agricultural production.
§ Urgent need to diversify agriculture to address emerging food demands and
habits, and dietary problems.
§ Need for climate smart agri-technologies to tackle climate change issues.
§ Opportunities to improve productivity along value chain.
§ Increased presence of private sector in both input and output markets.
§ Need to produce both economically efficient & environmentally friendly
technologies to tap the opportunities for export.
Porter’s Value Chain Framework
Land, Water, Machinery, etc
Self, Family, Farm Labour
Public Institutions, private sector
Govts, Agriculture Dept
Competitive Advantage by Porter (1985)
Farmer Private Sector
Government Consumers
• Corporate success driven by linkages
• Linkages are about seamless cooperation
and information flow
• Most often, an ecosystem of companies
works across the value chain
• Challenges for farm as an ag enterprise
• All primary value chain activities other
than operations are dispersed across
public and private institutions
• This leads to a weak bargaining position
• Many variables within
operations/production Eg. Weather
• Technology Development/R&D mostly
through public institutions
Research
Canvas for ICTs 4 Ag
Peer to Peer collaboration platforms
• Information Extension
• Learning platforms Farmers2Consumers (F2C)
Research2Farmer (R2F) • FPO management software • Lot of ICT innovation
• Extension Systems • Market linkages is a very
• KVKs broad term – processor,
• NGOs Ag aggregator, retailer, end
Knowledge Marketing customer
Intermediaries Structures • New business models
emerging – ICT is a critical
enabler

Government2Farmer (G2F) Distribution

Channels
Government Private2Farmer (P2F)
• Federal vs State Departments
• Multiple Departments • Mostly input companies –
• Subsidies fertilizers, seed, pesticides
companies
• ICT enabled innovation
Operations happening -Evolutionary
& revolutionary
• Precision farming • Knowledge seen as a
• Irrigation Automation means to build customer
• Data driven farming loyalty
ICT enabled Innovation Spectrum
Digitization Disruption
(evolutionary) (Revolutionary)

• Digitization of supply chain • Mainly three themes

‒ No structural changes ‒ Disintermediation
‒ Uberization
‒ Expert Systems – AI, ML and Big Data
• Disintermediation and Uberization drive impact business transactions
• Expert systems enable computers impacts human computer interaction – offers mass customization

• Foundational for Decision Support

Personalized/
Systems (DSS)
Contextualized/
Consumable • On farm management tools possible only
Content/ Insights Driven
Dynamic/ if this is available
Knowledge
Interactive • IOTs
Static digital
• Plot level aerial imagery
Content
• Analytics

Personalization
• Investment needed in making content dynamic and consumable – knowledge engineering
Why do Innovation and Entrepreneurship Matter?
Drivers of Prosperity
Entrepreneurship: The creation and growth of
Innovation: The process of creating new new businesses (start-ups per adult population)
goods and services that provide unique
value for demanding customers who are
willing to pay for that value I+E increase the rate

Economic Growth
of economic growth
Innovation Entrepreneurship

“Knowledge-
Based”
Entrepreneurs

Time

“Invention and
Innovation and entrepreneurship create prosperity by: entrepreneurship are at the
heart of national advantage”
• Increasing wages by competing on human capital and knowledge
• Reducing unemployment - M. Porter
• Connecting local economies to the global economy
• Facilitating clusters and knowledge transfer Source: Audretsch, D.B. and R. Thurik, “Linking Entrepreneurship to Growth,” OECD
Science, Technology and Industry Working Papers, 2001/2
Innovation Definition
Problem
Problem Solution
solving Innovation
Recognition Exploitation
Invention

Innovation pipeline
 A new paradigm to
do
digital agriculture
Agri-entrepreneurship can :
Attract youth to agriculture
Foster entrepreneurship spirit and help
increase incomes

ICRISAT ihub launched on February 13, 2017 to accelerate

opportunities for agri-preneurs in India
KALGUDI

TITSC

Intello Labs
Decision tree – Rainfed groundnut system, Anantapur
Phase 1 (Sowing App)
• Pilot in June 2016 focused only on Sowing date advisory in collaboration with
Microsoft Hyderabad

• This model projected the moisture adequacy index (MAI) using water balance
technique based on weather forecast and outlook (IMD, IITM, aWhere).

• MAI based logic used to trigger sowing date advisory to farmers.

Phase 2 (isat)
Timeline Conditions Decision Message
• The current experiment tries to
• Plant GN at the earliest
April&May opportunity after 2nd week of contextualize the Long Term forecasts for
LT AN Plant GN with PP as intercrop
Kharif
Avg Rain=352 mm Forecast >350 mm Any other options??
•
June
Plough the land, prepare the
small holder farmers
P for>350 mm=0.44 seed and apply FYM

• Pre-season advisory from IMD, IITM, EFRS is

<350 mm

BN
being used to send season advisory
• Plant early maturing GN at the
Prepare for planting a mix of earliest opportunity
No crops •
•
Plough the land, get the seed
Consider using a mix of crops
• Great opportunity to build such systems
El Nino for more crops and agro-ecologies and
enable small holders for tactical
Ye
s,
Av

• Plant early maturing GN at the

management.
RF

earliest opportunity
26=

Limited GN with high • Plough the land, get the seed

5m

proportion of drought • Consider allocating about 25-

• A good template for translating knowledge
m

tolerant crops 50% of the land to drought

tolerant crops-Early maturing
PP, Foxtail etc
to actionable insights for farmers
 Timeline Conditions Message
2week BN
Next <1 0 m
m
outlook Wait
week

m
0m
forecast >1 0 2week AN
Last mm
Prepare the land

<1
Met Date Week 1 week
outlook

Weeks Rain BN
<10 mm

>1
Next 2week
Wait

0
week outlook

m
23 4 - 10 Jun

m
forecast >1 0 AN
mm 2week
outlook Prepare the land
24 11 - 17 Jun BN
mm 2week
Wait
25 18 - 24 Jun Next <1 0 outlook
week
>1 0
26 24 Jun - 1 Jul forecast mm 2week AN

m
Prepare the land or Plant GN

0m
outlook
Last
27 2 - 8 Jul

<1
week 2week BN
Week 2 mm Prepare land
28 9 - 15 Jul Rain Next <1 0 outlook

>1
June

0
week

m
>1 0 AN
29 16 - 22 Jul

m
Avg forecast 2week
mm
Rain=50 outlook Get ready for planting
30 23 - 29 Jul mm BN
2week
31 30 Jul - 5 Aug P for>20
mm=0.73 Next < 10 m
m outlook Prepare land
week AN
32 6 Aug - 12 Aug

m
>1 0 2week

0m
forecast
Week 3 Last
mm outlook Plant GN

<1
33 13 Aug - 19 Aug week BN
2week
34 20 Aug - 26 Aug
Rain
10 m
m Wait

>1
outlook
Next <

0
m
week

m
AN
35 27 Aug - 2 Sep forecast
>1 0
mm
2week
outlook Plant GN
36 3 Sep - 9 Sep
2week BN
37 10 Sep - 16 Sep mm
Week 4 Next <1 0 outlook Wait
week

m
38 17 Sep - 23 Sep >1 0 AN
0m
forecast mm 2week
Last Plant GN
<1
outlook
39 24 Sep - 30 Sep week
BN
Rain 2week
40 1 - 7 Oct
>1

10 m
m outlook Wait
0m

Next <
week AN
m

2week
forecast
>1 0 m
m outlook
Plant GN
ICRISAT – PEAT Collaboration
Major partner on the ground

Picture Networking
Acquisition Governments &
University

PR & Farmer
Marketing Workshops
Thank You
Various Contexts of Agriculture

Farming

Agriculture

Commerce Knowledge
Technology & Innovation
LESSON 7
 Watch the Journey 2050
Technology & Innovation Video

As you watch, discover:

• Technologies and innovations being developed
around the world
Group discussion

• Which innovation do you

think could be most impactful
and why?
• What are some pros and cons
of using these technologies?
 Research project
Research and create a digital presentation about one
technology or innovation to share with the class.
Include the following:

qDescribe it. How it is used, where it is used, etc.

Include details such as how much it costs and where
it is currently being used.
qWhat are the benefits? What obstacle(s) does this
innovation overcome?
qWhat are the limitations? Each form of technology
has limitations. What are they? Is it the expense of
the equipment, accuracy of its use, etc.?
qSee it in Action! Find images or a demonstration
video of the technology in action.
Technology & Innovation
Presentations

VOTE
Which are the 3 most promising
technologies & innovations that
will make a difference in the future
of agriculture.
What’s the difference

Developing Country
vs
Developed Country
 Watch the TED Talk Video
A Global Food Crisis May be Less Than a Decade Away
by Sara Menker

As you watch, evaluate:

• The concepts of supply and demand as well as a “capacity” to produce food
• What can developed and developing countries do to prevent a famine as we move toward 2050?
• What can developed and developing countries learn from each other?
Can technology and innovations be integrated from one country to another?
How do consumers like yourself influence
what producers grow?
snapag
What does
organic farming
look like?
What are
GMOs and are
they okay to
eat?
How are
chickens raised?

Are your perceptions different or

the same as the industry?
Wrap up
• Technology and innovation play a critical role in the future of
agriculture. Each innovation must be understood for the
benefits and limitations it brings as there is no one-size fits all
solution.
• If supported, developing countries have the greatest potential
to make the most improvements.
• Consumers have a direct influence on what is grown and how.
It’s important that you take a science-based, informed approach
when viewing information on social media or in marketing
campaigns trying to influence your purchasing behavior.
• As we strive to feed a growing population, every stakeholder
must act in a way that encourages sustainable solutions.
 Questions?
PROGRAMS@NAITCO.ORG
Appendix
Innovation and Technology Examples
Autonomous robots

Agriculture requires a significant

amount of manual labor.
What do you think a robot could
do?

Autonomous pickers identify and

pick ripe fruits and vegetables.
Other specialized robots could also
find and eliminate weeds and pests
that damage crops.
Agriculture sensors
When it comes to nutrient
management, watering, pest
management, and harvest - too
early or too late doesn’t cut it.

When it’s time to take action,

high-tech sensors located in
fields send alerts to farmers
through an app on their phone.
Aerial crop imaging
Aerial images taken with drones,
satellites and planes can help
farmers map their fields and use
the land to its greatest potential.

Drones could perform crop

monitoring, planting, and even
spraying.
Agriculture data systems
Say good-bye to notebooks.

Farm data such as annual crop

yield, market forecasts, soil
nutrients, and weather can be
collected and stored
electronically to give farmers
valuable information.
Global positioning systems
GPS-based applications are being
used for farm planning, field
mapping and more!

The farmer is always present, but

the tractor can drive itself to
ensure perfect rows, while the
farmer can program the precise
application of seed and fertilizer.
Vertical & indoor farming
Growing crops up, instead of out…
Now that’s a good idea!

Vegetables and fruits tend to work

the best in vertical farming, and it’s
ideal where land isn't available.
It can even help to re-purpose
abandoned structures.
Livestock monitors
The livestock industry utilizes technology
to ensure animal health, safety, and
welfare.

Examples:
- Smart collars are used like a personal fit
bit, tracking daily activity, behavior and
health.
- Breath analysis allows farmers to
evaluate potential health problems and
diet.
- Thermal imaging and 3D cameras
analyze an animal’s body muscle and
weight to advise the farmer when to
sell their livestock.
Fish farms & aquaponics
Specialized fish farms involve
raising fish in tanks or enclosed
ponds.

Aquaponic systems are a unique

way to grow fish and plants
symbiotically. Waste from the fish
is cycled through the system,
serving as a source of nutrients to
grow the plants.
ICT helps to improve the way we
handle and deal with information
by the use of technology