The world is changing and while the effects of climate change are felt by many, our farmers are struggling most. For the last decades, the sector has had a hard time keeping up with business in times where weather is unpredictable and heavy rains and long draughts are becoming a commodity (Colangelo, 2016). Together with the rising temperatures, the world’s population is expected to grow to 9.7 billion by 2050, according to the United Nations Report from 2015. This means that by that time the world needs to produce 70% more food than it did in 2016 in order to feed the population (Meola, 2016). Since the majority of land which is suitable for farming is already used, this growth must come from higher yields. That requires optimizing current practices and increasing efficiency usage of resources such as land and water, but to go beyond the industry is now turning to the internet of things for an answer.
Already some high-tech methods are employed in today’s farms to improve food production, also called precision farming. This is the process of using technologies to observe and record data, to eventually improve production output while minimizing the input, such as costs and resources. These technologies often help farmers with their daily routine. For example, sensors in the ground providing the farmer with all sorts of information, by storing the data in the cloud. These sensors enable the farmer to gain knowledge about every inch of his land, such as resources, temperature and historical performances. Farmers can now also use their smartphone to monitor their land and run statistical predictions and even drones are widely used by farmers to generate data about their land. Combining this information with for example weather forecast, the farmer can precisely estimate the amount of extra nutrition’s and water needed for growing. With this new technique farmers are already using approximately 20% less water than they used to (The Economist, 2017) The perception of how we see farming is changing, the production of our food is slowly becoming tightly controlled, data driven and automated. But this seems to be only the beginning of the technological revolution in farming. A new concept of vertical farming is already on its way to take over the traditional food production, growing corps in places where traditional agriculture would not have been possible. Often multiple stories with artificial light producing food in a highly efficient matter, reducing water usage, creating less waste and taking up less space (King, 2016). A promising outcome, that will hopefully feed our next generations.
Colangelo, R. (2016) Can Vertical Farming Sustain Food Demands in the Wake of Climate Change? [online] National Geographic Voices, Available at: https://voices.nationalgeographic.org/2016/10/31/can-vertical-farming-sustain-food-demands-in-the-wake-of-climate-change/ [Accessed 12 october 2017]
Meola, A. (2016) Why IoT, big data and smart farming are the future of agriculture, [online] Business Insider. Available at: http://www.businessinsider.com/internet-of-things-smart-agriculture-2016-10?international=true&r=US&IR=T, [Accessed 12 october 2017]
The economist (2017) The Future of Agriculture, [online] The Economist, Available at http://www.economist.com/technology-quarterly/2016-06-09/factory-fresh, [Accessed 12 october 2017]
King, A. (2017) Technology: The Future of Agriculture, [online] Nature. Available at http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v544/n7651_supp/full/544S21a.html?foxtrotcallback=true [Accessed 12 October 2017]
Hey Marilou, thanks for the article. I have some comments regarding the feasibility of this technology. In my opinion, there are only developing countries up-taking a huge action regarding agriculture for the next years. The develop countries already started a technological revolution being not very interested in harvesting anymore but more in offering services for their population. I will focus my comment more for European part which is very applicable anywhere in the world. Regarding the European part only developing countries are undertaking agricultural business models. As well, they are lagging big time regarding technological advances. The question is if they will be able to update their technological systems until 2050? Taking into consideration the current slow technological advances there is a big question mark. Thus, if these countries will not be able to develop such as technology, how can this agricultural system be deployed?
Thinking more about it, I am of the opinion that the current advances should accommodate more of the insect farming being the closest to current technological advances in developing countries. In a nutshell, I think developing insect farming can be a more feasible solution for the current developing countries actually doing agriculture.
Hi Marilou, thanks for sharing this great blog!
I think you making a fair point by stating that the food problem has to be solved by increasing the yield. Moreover, I also agree that technology can be a contributor in this. But what I don’t agree on is the usability of the latest concept you mention, vertical farming.
Although I think it has definitely some benefits on some points, I think there are some big limitations to this concept. Firstly, there is only a limited range of crops that can be grown with vertical farming. Secondly, there is only a little proportion of the total food need that vertical farming could supply. Thirdly, the most important in my opinion, it requires some extraordinary energy requirements and has an enormous climate impact. I read the following: ‘At that rate, producing America’s annual vegetable crop (not counting potatoes) in vertical systems under lights would require well over half of the electricity this country generates every year, and that would crank out 1.3 billion metric tons of carbon emissions per year. Heating and air-conditioning would add considerably to power demand and the emissions.’ (Cox, 2016). So by producing food by vertical farming, we are contributing to another problem: the Earth’s warming. Of course, green energy like solar panels could be used to gain the needed electricity. But I question if these providers are going to keep up with the high electricity demand vertical farming has.
To conclude, although vertical farming, and technology in general, can be great contributors in solving the food problem there are some big limitations that have to be taken in account.
Cox. S. (2016) Enough with the vertical farming fantasies: There are still too many unanswered questions about the trendy practice [online] Salon, https://www.salon.com/2016/02/17/enough_with_the_vertical_farming_partner/ [Accessed 09 October 2017]