With Climate Change and Resilience, Technology Is Our Ally

In the face of climate change and the continuous growth of the population, guaranteeing that people will have food is an increasingly difficult challenge. Therefore, technological solutions are essential to achieve a more sustainable use of natural resources.

Technology is a great ally for agriculture, since it allows an increase in crop productivity, more careful management of resources, reduces workload and costs, and allows farmers to increase their income.

Today, it is increasingly common, for example, to see the use of drones for fumigation or to spread seeds in the fields. But how did we get to this point? The transition has not been easy; it has implied a lot of learning and, of course, also mistakes.

Early Agricultural Technologies 

The origin of agriculture dates back more than 10 thousand years before our era, during the Neolithic period. Cultivating the land as the basis for producing food transformed the lives of humans, since it allowed them to settle and form populations. The first instruments they used were the hoe and the ax. 

Work Mechanization 

By 4000 B.C., human beings had implemented the first steps of the mechanization of agriculture: They began to use animals to plow the land. 

Industrial Revolution 

In the 20th century, the tractor was a decisive innovation. The first country to use it was the US, in 1910. Gradually, it spread throughout the world. In 1950, the tractor was very popular in Japan and Europe. Currently, Asia is the top user.  

Digital Technologies 

After 1970, digital technologies began to disrupt agriculture. Gradually , precision tools that managed animals using electronic identification or sensors for livestock came into use. In addition, digital tools emerged that facilitated agricultural mechanization, such as machinery with satellite navigation systems that allowed automatic guidance of tractors and fertilizer spreaders. 

Artificial Intelligence

Agricultural drones have been among the most important innovations in recent years. For example, with  fumigation, they allow the farmer to avoid contact with toxic materials in addition to better supplying his inputs. Digital automation in agriculture has started to have diverse applications, from smartphones with various sensors and high-resolution cameras to crop robots, combined with virtual reality and remote sensing.

Risking less and earning more will always be the objectives of any producer, especially those who work in the fields. Technological progress allows us to achieve these goals.

As we discussed in this article, agricultural drones have many benefits for production, since they allow you to carry out precision agriculture.

From 2016 to 2020, the agricultural sector was the world's second-biggest purchaser of drones, after only construction, according to Goldman Sachs research. 

Still not convinced? Here are some ways to use  drones: 

• Coverage over large areas of land 

• Allows spraying in hard-to-reach areas

• Increase the efficiency and quality of how you apply your inputs 

• Reduce time and costs 

• Increase the profitability of crops

• Reduces environmental impact, since the application of agrochemicals is directed and adjusts to the requirements of each crop

• Prevents field workers from being directly exposed to agrochemicals 

• Greater performance in area per day, in less operational time

Starting a farm business is an odyssey. It not only depends on your knowledge of the field and the crops, but also on having the necessary tools to achieve success.

Whenever you have to buy agricultural machinery, consider it an investment. We know that prices are very high, but they will always be worth it.

For example, a medium John Deere brand tractor, which is characterized by its strength, resistance and fuel economy, exceeds MX$900,000 (US$48,000).

The planters, which are essential for opening deep furrows and accurately planting a wide variety of seeds, cost more than MX$300,000 (US$16,000)s.

The list of agricultural machinery is as long as it is necessary: ​​irrigation sprinklers, a combine harvester, a fertilizer spreader and even drones.

One of the options that you should consider is Verqor, a fintech that was born exclusively to support the agro world. Verqor is a digital platform that grants credit to farmers for the purchase of inputs, machinery and even for working capital. One of its great advantages is that the delivery of your products is completely free and direct to your property.

We are facing one of the fastest digital evolution moments of the decade, where many technologies are merging to create new solutions for every industry. The technological advances will bolster optimization, efficiency and high performance. How will this be adapted into smart solutions to mitigate climate change?