When we think of Internet of Things (IoT) applications, growing crops or raising livestock aren’t the first visuals that come to mind. Yet the smart agriculture market is expected to grow from $5.18 billion in 2016 to $11.23 billion by 2022, according to Markets and Markets. That translates into a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.27% between 2017 and 2022.
Farms are becoming more connected as farmers realize the potential of IoT technologies in helping them minimize operation cost while still achieving better results. Examples include higher crops, lower livestock losses, and less water usage. To help improve farm performance, IoT technology providers continue to develop platforms that can sense, process, and communicate precisely measured environmental data. Behind these IoT platforms is an array of technologies that includes sensing, microcontrollers, transmitters, energy harvesting, LED lights, drones, and more.
What follows are three smart farming applications already in play that take advantage of these technology solutions:
1. Livestock monitoring
Here, the IoT allows the entire livestock environment to be constantly monitored. The user is alerted by phone, text, or email if any condition falls outside of a preset parameter. Several systems containing some of the elements of an integrated monitoring system are now available commercially for swine, cattle, broiler, and milk production.