The Future of Agriculture: Smart Farming Techniques and Innovations
The agricultural sector and technology providers can help create a better future of agriculture with smart farming techniques and innovations. Here are just a few examples of farm productivity optimization around the world, due to smart farming:
Smart soil sensing for water optimization
In Texas, sensors linked to a smartphone app are gathering real-time information on soil conditions, including soil moisture. The app combines this information with other data, including weather forecasts, for an AI-powered analysis that results in watering recommendations. The app sends the recommendations to farmers’ mobile devices to help them efficiently deploy water resources for better crop growth in areas affected by droughts and climate change.
Cloud-based irrigation for vine stress
In California, where efficient water use is also a major concern, a winery implemented a cloud-based tool that ingests information from weather forecasts, satellite imagery, and sensors to measure vine stress. Analysis of the data yields watering recommendations tailored to the needs of each vine. Since putting the tool in place, yields have increased by 26% while reducing water usage by 16%.
AI-driven climate control in greenhouses
In Kazakhstan’s Almaty region, a five-hectare smart greenhouse facility is equipped with IoT technology and AI. These technologies monitor conditions within the greenhouses and automatically adjust temperatures, light, humidity, and irrigation levels as necessary to create the optimal environment for crop growth.4
Monitoring animal behavior for improved dairy production
In the United Kingdom, researchers attached sensors to cattle at dairy farms to track their activity, including steps taken and time spent eating and lying down. Since more active cattle generally display more positive behavior, such information can help farmers determine whether interventions are necessary—namely, changing the animals’ environment to raise their contentment levels, which tend to improve milk yields.5
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 2: Zero Hunger | 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality. | – Smart soil sensing for water optimization – Cloud-based irrigation for vine stress – AI-driven climate control in greenhouses – Monitoring animal behavior for improved dairy production |
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity. | – Smart soil sensing for water optimization – Cloud-based irrigation for vine stress |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. | – Smart soil sensing for water optimization – Cloud-based irrigation for vine stress – AI-driven climate control in greenhouses |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world. | – Smart soil sensing for water optimization |
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
The SDGs that are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article are:
– SDG 2: Zero Hunger
– SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
– SDG 13: Climate Action
– SDG 15: Life on Land
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
Based on the article’s content, the specific targets under the identified SDGs are:
– Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
– Target 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity.
– Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
– Target 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
Yes, there are indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. These indicators include:
– Smart soil sensing for water optimization: This indicator can measure progress towards targets related to sustainable food production systems, resilient agricultural practices, and land and soil quality improvement.
– Cloud-based irrigation for vine stress: This indicator can measure progress towards targets related to water-use efficiency and addressing water scarcity.
– AI-driven climate control in greenhouses: This indicator can measure progress towards targets related to resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards.
– Monitoring animal behavior for improved dairy production: This indicator can measure progress towards targets related to sustainable food production systems and resilient agricultural practices.
By implementing these smart farming techniques and innovations, progress can be measured through the use of these indicators.
4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 2: Zero Hunger | 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality. | – Smart soil sensing for water optimization – Cloud-based irrigation for vine stress – AI-driven climate control in greenhouses – Monitoring animal behavior for improved dairy production |
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity. | – Smart soil sensing for water optimization – Cloud-based irrigation for vine stress |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. | – Smart soil sensing for water optimization – Cloud-based irrigation for vine stress – AI-driven climate control in greenhouses |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world. | – Smart soil sensing for water optimization |
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: ibm.com
Join us, as fellow seekers of change, on a transformative journey at https://sdgtalks.ai/welcome, where you can become a member and actively contribute to shaping a brighter future.
