The agricultural industry has evolved over the course of many centuries, with new seeds of innovation being regularly sown. Over time, man and machinery have cooperated, and as our goals and the global environment change, this pattern is anticipated to continue.Industrial tyres from Fieldens OTR is here to help you keep up with farming trends.
Reimagining Farming Methods
The next major transition in farming is being driven by digital tools, as opposed to earlier evolutions in farming that were mostly driven by mechanical advancements (namely, bigger, better machinery) or genetic advancements (better seed, more effective fertilisers, etc.). For instance, we have:
- Automation, including the employment of robots, drones, and self-driving tractors, can increase the productivity of farming.
- Precision farming, in which irrigation, fertiliser, and pesticides are applied at different rates depending on the crops’ needs rather than uniformly at predetermined intervals and dosages.
A collaboration between the Israeli company Phytech and the Swiss agrichemical company Syngenta is a good illustration of precision farming. To assist farmers in continuously monitoring crop development and soil health and taking appropriate action when and where it is necessary, they have created a monitoring system that incorporates soil moisture sensors and plant growth sensors.
Other significant developments in agricultural practises include:
- More localised urban farming, which involves bringing food closer to consumers in order to cut down on food miles.
In comparison to conventional field farming techniques, vertical farming (the practise of growing crops in vertical layers) and hydroponics (growing plants in nutrient-rich water) typically utilise less water, soil, and space. If you think this is a niche topic, reconsider. The world’s largest vertical farm, which is located in Newark, New Jersey, demonstrates that vertical farming can be done successfully and on a massive scale. Vertical farming, according to its developers AeroFarm, is 390 times more productive per square foot than field farming.
Finding New Ways to Create Food
Did you know that a third of croplands are utilised to cultivate livestock feed rather than crops for human consumption? This statistic is astounding. More of that acreage might be dedicated to growing crops for humans, something that will undoubtedly become more urgent as the world’s population rises. If only we could figure out novel new ways to produce meat.
Cultured (lab-grown) and plant-based meats can be used in this situation. It’s obvious that there is a growing market for meat substitutes, starting with plant-based meats. Plant-based burgers are often available in chains like Burger King, and plant-based pioneers After being valued at $13 billion less than three months after going public, Beyond Meat became one of the most lucrative initial public offerings in history. It’s early days for cultured meat, but there are signs that the market – and regulators – are coming around to the idea. In 2020, Singapore became the first nation to approve cultured meat for sale.
There’s also the potential for 3D printing to play a role in food production. Barcelona-based startup NovaMeat is leading the way in 3D printing plant-based food and has already successfully created the world’s first 3D printed piece of “meat” that apparently mimics the fibrous nature of real meat.
