Smart farming is the term that many in the agricultural industry are starting to adopt when referring to the use of modern technologies that help streamline the farming process; from growing food to managing livestock. At its core, it literally means to farm smartly, but it’s the integration of technology that sets it apart.
What Technologies Are Used in Smart Farming?
From incorporating a range of devices (like laptops, phones and tablets), to adopting new ways of working, Australian farmers use technology on a daily basis to keep things running smoothly. Don’t just take our word for it though; we’ll take you through a few examples and chat through how some of these specific technologies are making our farms more efficient.
GPS-Guided Machinery and Automation
Using machinery guided by devices that use global positioning system (or GPS) technology, like tractors and seeders, allows farmers to plant crops with precision and exact spacing. This ensures each plant has the best chance of sustaining healthy growth, and can also allow farmers to project harvest numbers and make the most of their land. To take this a step further, farmers can even purchase completely autonomous machinery – think driverless tractors, autonomous crop sprayers and precision weeding robots. Yep, that’s all possible and in use!
Drones
Drones can be used to spray crops, map fields and manage livestock, but they can also be used to track overall crop health, water levels, spot pests and capture any imagery or vision needed.
Floating a drone can save farmers a massive amount of time on manual labour, and by speeding up their field checks. There are quite a few farm-specific models available, so if you’re a farmer, you’ll need to consider what you need or want it for, and the size of your field, to help you make a call on which one will be best.
Mobile Apps and Digital Forecasting
There are a few mobile apps and digital forecasting tools that are helping our farmers reduce risk and operating costs, while also making the most out of their crop yields… and they’re doing this by taking the guesswork out of some tasks. From hyper-local weather predictions, to real-time soil data and more, mobile apps and digital forecasting tools are ensuring that farmers have the ability to track, plan and project as they see fit.
Does Smart Farming Utilise the Cloud and Incorporate Cybersecurity?
In short, yes to both.
Let’s start with the cloud. Australian farmers are able to make use of cloud computing and technology to store and process agricultural data in real-time. This is what you make it, and can also depend on the types of technology being used on the property. If we take one of the technologies mentioned above, like GPS-guided and automated machinery, cloud platforms might be required to hold the large amounts of data collected if local devices can’t do the trick.
When it comes to cybersecurity, any connected equipment could be at risk of threats, whether that’s ransomware, mobile malware (especially if we consider the rise of mobile apps and digital forecasting), or something different. Smart farms and agricultural environments in Australia should have a strong security posture, and many operating businesses do take cybersecurity seriously, in this industry and in others, right across the country.
How Managed IT Benefits Smart Farming
Smart farms that are relying on a number of connected devices need reliable network support and connectivity, cybersecurity that protects, and effective data management for agricultural tools. At Xenex Systems, our managed IT services help keep smart farms running by packaging all this and more to support the size and scale of your operation.
As specialists in agricultural IT, we take the time to understand what hardware and software you’re currently using, your connected environment, what you’re keen to adopt and what you’re worried about, in order to come up with the solution that works best for you and your business. When it comes to agriculture, we’re familiar with it all; farms, machinery retail environments and more.
From integrating dealership management systems, to ensuring you have access to remote support (or even a more reliable regional internet connection) and more, our team is here to help. Reach out for a free IT audit and consultation today. Contact us online, or give us a call on (08) 6245 2800.