In 2021, the farming industry is going to see some massive changes that will revolutionise the face of farming forever. Farms are essential for producing the nation’s food and have been a vital part of our economy for years. With the population growing, farming is now more important than ever, but in order to continue this classic way of life, farming needs to modernise and take more sustainable approaches. New innovations in the farming industry will rely more on modern technology and provide efficiency and sustainability. Here are a few farming innovations that you can expect to see in 2021.
Digital Agriculture
Running a farm is hard work! Farmers work long hours each day, with teams of people to make sure that everything is running smoothly. Luckily, modern technology may mean that farmers can soon spend less time out in the fields doing maintenance and more time producing goods. Digital agriculture is a movement that hopes to integrate technology into farms, and this technology will help farmers to identify areas of land that need work. This information will be collected by satellite dishes and sensors in the fields. Integrating this technology with farming will save hours of time spent manually analysing the quality of land, so farmers can notice problems areas quickly.
Shipping container farms
This exciting innovation comes after population growth made the land a scarce resource, leaving farmers searching for a way to grow large amounts of crop in a small area. Shipping container farms are the answer to this! This brilliant invention will use converted shipping containers to grow crops. Not only is this a great way of recycling these otherwise discarded containers but shipping containers are able to store about the same amount of crops as a 5-acre field! Think about how much land that would save in the long run. Shipping container farming also means that food can be grown in urban environments which lowers the need for big cities to import their food from rural farms. This will lower the carbon footprint of the food that we eat, as crops could be locally available everywhere.
Women in farming
Traditional farming is undoubtedly more appealing to men than women. However, the innovation of technology means that farming will now be more about brains than brawn. This will empower more women to run farms and take leadership roles within the farming industry. More female farmers will change the face of farming and open up more possibilities for young girls who are interested in agriculture and looking to pursue a career in this field. This innovation may be one of the most lifechanging ones for many female farmers.
Data-driven fertilizer
Global warming is a crisis that we cannot ignore in 2021. One of the most harmful chemicals to penetrate the earth’s atmosphere is nitrous oxide and farming happens to be the biggest producer of this. Nitrous oxide is released into the air by farming through the use of fertilizers that help to grow crops. Fertilizer is needed for a thriving farm, but when done manually, farmers often use too much and the excess chemical is released into the air. Data-driven fertilizer applications will work out the exact amount of fertilizer that is needed for crops and apply only this to the fields. This will minimise emissions and help towards cleaning up our atmosphere.
Drones
Drones are a popular piece of technology that have already made a huge impact in industries such as TV and film, the police and academic research. Now, drones are going to be widely used in farming to keep an eye on the land and spot any problems that may occur. Drones are robotic aircrafts that fly over the land, using cameras to take images of the area below. These drones will be able to help farmers spot problems in their orchards and fields much faster than if the farmers went about on foot. The technology in drones may also be able to help to fertilize crops and water fields. When walking through farmland in 2021, you can expect to see a drone or two flying above your head!
It is clear that many developments will become more visible in the farming industry in 2021. For those farmers who have been running traditional farms their whole lives, this may take some time to get used to, but essentially, these innovations are all part of a bigger plan to modernise farming and produce more crops without further damaging our environment. And that can only be a good thing.
Sources
‘Digital agriculture In 2021: Bringing innovative technology to one of the oldest industries’, CropLife, https://croplife.org/news/digital-agriculture-in-2021-bringing-innovative-technology-to-one-of-the-oldest-industries/
‘Steel storage container Solutions UK’, S Jones Containers, https://www.sjonescontainers.co.uk/
‘9 Agriculture Innovation Trends In 2021’, Pixofarm, https://pixofarm.com/9-trends-driving-innovation-in-the-apple-industry/
“‘We’re stewards of our land’: the rise of female farmers’, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/aug/16/we-are-stewards-of-our-land-the-rise-of-female-farmers
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