FX.co ★ Top 5 innovations in agriculture

Smart design and vertical farms

Some scientists believe that finding new ways to use land is the main advantage of urban agricultural enterprises. They occupy less space than typical plantations. The yielding capacity of vertical farms is ten times higher than of common farmland. Experts expect that the future belongs to vertical farming with the use of smart design.

Drones and robotic bees

The number of bees is decreasing around the world. Experts say, it can cause serious global problems. Bees carry out the most important task - they support agricultural production by pollinating plants. Presently, farmers are learning to use drones for this aim. They are used in agriculture for various purposes including air-photography. The purpose of photographic aerial survey is monitoring land conditions and automated harvesting. In the future, drones are likely to become an integral part of agriculture due to the use of the Internet of Things (IoT).

Digitalisation of agriculture

The digitalisation of agriculture involves the use of advanced technologies, united in a single system. This allows to make the entire production cycle more efficient. The digital agricultural system collects data set and analyses it. As a result, it can help to calculate the yield of a particular crop. It enables to make quicker decisions that are effectively implemented with the help of robotics. The latest technologies include sensors, communication networks, unmanned aerial systems, etc.

Blockchain technology

In 2017, Louis Dreyfus completed the first agricultural deal using blockchain technology, selling 60 thousand tons of soybeans to China. According to experts, the technology will be used in agriculture to conduct decentralized transactions and conclude self-executing smart contracts. The use of blockchain technology in agriculture is connected to the need of tracking the origin of the goods - from planting to storage and delivery. This innovation provides online monitoring.

Genetic editing and bioengineering

Scientists began to use the CRISPR/Cas9 method to correct plant genetics. They create crops that require less water. The innovation is used to interfere with the DNA of microbes. Genome editing is also applied to medicine. It will be possible to destroy the herpes virus using the CRISPR method in the future. Today, through innovative biotechnology, scientists grow meat in test tubes using animal stem cells. The technology is constantly being improved.