CURRENT TRENDS AND

ISSUES IN RURAL
AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION

Presented by:
Juhayfa A. Odin

Presented to: Dr. Perla Pasaol

 AGRICULTURE

 Since the history of mankind, agriculture evolved around

the basic food needs of man and developed principles
and practices in crop production including field
management.

 The agricultural industry is ever-growing, as new seeds

of innovation are continually being sown. There are
numerous reasons why it is so important for the world of
agriculture to keep ahead of the times – from increased
global food consumption to the climate crisis.
CURRENT TRENDS IN
AGRICULTURE
 1. BIOTECHNOLOGY

 Biotechnology is widely used in agriculture to improve

plant growth and yields, increase resistance to pests and
diseases, and enhance nutritional content. In fact, it’s
estimated that up to
80% of all processed foods today contain ingredients der
ived from biotechnology
. From genetically engineered crops to the Sterile Insect
Technique (SIT) for insect control on fruit trees and
grapevines, examples of biotechnology in agriculture are
widespread.
 COMMON EXAMPLES AND ADVANTAGES OF
BIOTECHNOLOGY
•Increased efficiency and reduced costs
1. Genetically Modified Crops •Higher crop yields
•Ability to generate new food products
•Improved quality of life for farmers

2. Developing of Biofuels •Reduced greenhouse gas emissions

•Increased competition may lead to lower prices
•More options for where fuel source comes from

3. Improving Plant Growth •Increased tolerance to stress factors, such as

drought or salinity
•Faster growth rates and shorter generation times
•Costs less than traditional breeding methods
4. Improving Plant Seed Quality
•Improved crops
•More food for the world’s population.
•Better crop yields in the face of changing
conditions around the globe
5. Improve Animal Health and •Increased nutritional value
Breeding •Improved animal product quality
•Faster growth
•Resistance to diseases
•Increased food production potential
2. WATER MANAGEMENT

 The earth is 71 percent water, but more than 96 percent of it

is in the oceans. This means there’s actually not much
freshwater – which is essential for agriculture. In fact, the
majority of available water is used in agriculture. As a result,
water optimization has been and will continue to be a
priority.
 Agricultural Water Management

Agricultural water management (AWM) seeks to use water

in a way that provides crops and animals the amount of
water they need, enhances productivity, and conserves
natural resources for the benefit of downstream users and
ecosystem services.
Why Agricultural Water Management Matters?

Although AWM includes irrigation, it is not simply about

applying water. It includes soil, land, and ecosystem
conservation practices, such as drainage and watershed
management; fisheries management; and technologies
for lifting, storing, and conveying water. Traditional
AWM was concerned with improving the efficiency of
water use in large-scale irrigation schemes in which the
objective was to control, not manage, water. As larger
numbers of farmers are investing in small-scale
irrigation systems, and regulation is either absent or
uncoordinated, there is a need for improved practices.
AWM has the potential to improve incomes and food
security for poor farmers in priority countries.
3. VERTICAL FARMING

 Vertical farming brings crop production to controlled indoor

environments where light, temperature, humidity, and air
are managed to optimize production of popular crops such
as lettuce and tomatoes. Vertical farms can be built closer to
urban areas where the majority of the population lives,
increasing access to fresher produce and reducing the
storage and transportation costs of such items.

 This trend may reduce the amount of carbon emissions

involved in trucking produce from warmer climates to those
with shorter growing seasons and encourage people to
purchase locally grown items in their own communities.
4. REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE

 Today, the agriculture industry is one of the largest emitters of CO2. When
combined with forestry, agriculture makes up a third
of all human-made greenhouse gas emissions. But thankfully, regenerative
agriculture is one option we have to begin reversing that statistic.
 Regenerative agriculture is a collection of farming practices that
help to sequester carbon, improve soil quality, reduce erosion and
runoff, and generally offer a more sustainable way of growing food.
 Regenerative agriculture can be achieved through planting a diverse
range of crops, in order to feed different nutrients into the soil,
rotating and covering crops, and generally minimising the
application of chemical fertilisers.
 Regenerative agriculture is a more holistic approach to agriculture than
conventional farming. It focuses on improving soil quality and adding
more organic life back to the soil.
 EXAMPLES OF REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE

1. No-Till / Minimum Till Farming

No-till farming and minimum till farming (sometimes referred to as conservation
tilling) are techniques that don’t involve breaking up the soil every season. This helps
improve soil quality, water retention, and prevents carbon from leaving the soil.
2. Permaculture Design
Permaculture is a design science, as well as a philosophy and whole way of
life. It’s about whole systems thinking, observing natural ecosystems and
using or simulating them, and other principles. As a result, Permaculture
system tends to end up being more efficient and productive than conventional
farms, but also have better water cycles and ecosystems, and are more
sustainable.
3. Organic Farming Practices
commonly people associate it as farming without the use of chemical
fertilizers or pesticides for crops, or antibiotics and growth hormones for
livestock.
As well as a move away from the use of genetically modified organisms.
5.INTERNET OF THINGS

 There are many ways to refer to modern agriculture. For example,

AgriTech refers to the application of technology in agriculture in
general.
 Smart agriculture, on the other hand, is mostly used to denote the
application of IoT solutions in agriculture. By using IoT sensors to
collect environmental and machine metrics, farmers can make
informed decisions, and improve just about every aspect of their
works from livestock to crop farming.
 For example, by using smart agriculture sensors to monitor the state
of crops, farmers can define exactly how many pesticides and
fertilizers they have to use to reach optimal efficiency. The same
applies to the smart farming definition.
THE BENEFITS OF SMART FARMING: HOW’S IOT
SHAPING AGRICULTURE
 Data, tons of data, collected by smart agriculture sensors, e.g. weather conditions, soil
quality, crop’s growth progress or cattle’s health. This data can be used to track the state of
your business in general as well as staff performance, equipment efficiency, etc.
 Better control over the internal processes and, as a result, lower production risks. The
ability to foresee the output of your production allows you to plan for better product
distribution. If you know exactly how much crops you are going to harvest, you can make sure
your product won’t lie around unsold.
 Cost management and waste reduction thanks to the increased control over the
production. Being able to see any anomalies in the crop growth or livestock health, you will
be able to mitigate the risks of losing your yield.
 Increased business efficiency through process automation. By using smart devices, you can
automate multiple processes across your production cycle, e.g. irrigation, fertilizing, or pest
control.
 Enhanced product quality and volumes. Achieve better control over the production process
and maintain higher standards of crop quality and growth capacity through automation.
 Reduced environmental footprint. Automation also carries environmental benefits. Smart
farming technologies can cut down on the use of pesticides and fertilizer by offering more
precise coverage, and thus, reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
 As a result, all of these factors can eventually lead to higher revenue.
IOT USE CASES IN AGRICULTURE

1. Monitoring of climate conditions

 Probably the most popular smart
agriculture gadgets are weather stations,
combining various smart farming
sensors. Located across the field, they
collect various data from the
environment and send it to the cloud.
The provided measurements can be used
to map the climate conditions, choose the
appropriate crops, and take the required
measures to improve their capacity (i.e.
precision farming).
 Some examples of such agriculture IoT
devices are allMETEO, Smart Elements,
and Pycno.
 Cattle monitoring and
Crop management
management

Agricultural drones
CHALLENGES FACED BY RICE FARMERS IN THE
PHILIPPINES

1.) High Input Costs

2.) Lack of Post-Harvest Facilities
3.) Climate Change
4.) Market Forces
5.) Land Rent
6.) Demographics
THANK YOU!!!