Agricultural Automation... Yes Please!!!
Posted on 14 August 2019
Agriculture is our oldest and still is, our most significant economic occupation, providing the food, feed, fibre, and fuel necessary for our survival. Robotics and automation are playing a major role in increasing the efficiency and reducing the cost of industrial production and products. Cultivators are focusing on technology to address several pressing problems, such as the growing global shortage of food and labour. Farmers have also begun to experiment with autonomous systems that automate operations such as pruning, thinning, planting, and harvesting, as well as mowing, spraying, and weed removal.
Robots can accomplish the repetitive movements of crop managing efficiently and accurately. Nonetheless, that won’t mean that humans will no longer be required in the agriculture industry. It just means that new generation farmers will need additional advanced skills to work in conjunction with robots. Additionally, the robots will still need customary maintenance which will be done by people.
Farmers on robotic platforms have shown to be more effective than using ladders. Improvements in sensors and control systems allow for the best resources and integrated pest and disease management. These advancements are just the start of what will be a transformation in the way that food is grown, tended, and harvested.
Digital technologies can also impact the environment. Insecticides and herbicides are proven to be detrimental to the environment. Precision agriculture, on the other hand, can target on-leaf applications of pesticides, can minimise the cost to farmers of expensive chemicals and boost produce and profit. As these solutions begin to develop more, they are also lowering the values of the next surge of automation, making it more accessible to the public.
Farming closer to, or even in, built-up areas and towns will also have a positive effect on the environment. Not needing to convert large tracts of land, soil erosion, which contributes to flooding, becomes less problematic. It will also decrease the transportation time required to move the agricultural product.
Farmers increasingly depend on robots to solve their labour shortage and meet the growing demand for food. These advanced systems enable labour and time savings, as well as increased crop productivity, demonstrating that technological evolution is infusing all parts of our lives.
Mexx Engineering® can streamline the meat & produce industry using innovative and versatile systems such as:
