How GPS Help In Agriculture
Summary
The use of GPS technology in agriculture, also known as precision farming, has revolutionized the industry. GPS is used for various functions, such as soil sampling, weed control, accurate planting, fertilizing, irrigation, field mapping, yield monitoring, machinery and vehicle monitoring, and geofencing. The technology improves productivity, reduces expenses, prevents theft, and helps farmers make informed decisions about their farming practices. The aim is to make this technology accessible to all farmers to enhance their operations.
Agriculture plays a vital role in every human life and economy from thousands of years ago. Still, the importance of agriculture is a lot more deeper than anything in this entire world.
In this revolutionary world still, many countries face issues with old farming techniques like seeding, fertilizing, irrigation, lack of machinery, etc. To rectify agricultural problems, many introduced technology into agriculture which is also known as agritech. What is the importance of technology in agriculture?
- Technology rectifies farmers’ problems on plowing, seeding, irrigation, fertilization, harvesting, etc.
- Increase productivity.
- Provides analytical data to improve their farming.
- Make their work easier.
- Adapting digital tech helps them to be direct suppliers and sellers.
- Farmers’ can control the overall production expenses.
- Can prevent farmland and cattle theft.
- Can monitor the machinery used in farming.
- Technology helps in precision farming.
Agriculture needs effective technology adoption in every part of the world to advance production methods and increase the industry’s value. When we say technology in agriculture, there are many types of technology used in this industry like biotechnology, telematics, modern and advanced ways of irrigation, robotics, etc.
How does telematics technology used in farming? Telematics technology helps to monitor and manage the vehicles and machinery used in the agriculture industry like trucks, tractors, plowing seeding machines, etc., through GPS devices and helps with GPS mapping in precision farming.
What is precision farming? Precision farming is a concept of specific field crop management, also known as satellite farming. GPS in agriculture, quite exciting, right? GPS has been determined to be an essential and efficient technological contributor in precision farming and agriculture.
What are the roles played by GPS in precision farming and agriculture?
1. GPS Soil Sampling
Soil sampling is done for better crop growth. Soil sampling with GPS is done with various methods like composite soil sampling, management zone soil sampling, and Grid soil sampling.
Composite and management soil sampling are similar sampling methods. GPS is used to pinpoint the perfect area, and the soil is pulled out for a soil test.
Grid soil sampling, here the GPS points are placed on a grid pattern, and the samples are directly fed into the specific soil test software to provide a result on what value the sample should have.
2. Locating And Controlling Weed
Here, Weeds are defined to be unwanted planted in a field of crops. The location of every single weed is mapped using GPS. GPS devices are very good at weed mapping using the help of geospatial technology (Geographical location mapping and analysis).
3. GPS For Accurate Planting
Each seed has different specifications and functionality; according to those specifications, GSP aids you to place the seeds in suitable space and in the perfect depth, which helps you with effective land usage.
4. The Precise Way Of Fertilizing And Irrigating
Fertilization and irrigation are vital processes in farming. Lesser amount or larger amount of fertilizing and irrigation affects farming. So, these processes are organized with the help of GPS by locating the area and following perfect timing.
5. Field Mapping
Setting boundaries is a difficult job without visualizing. GPS technology brings the whole map into your hands to overcome the challenges faced by mapping.
6. Yield Monitoring Systems
In agriculture, yields are referred to as the measurement of crops grown. GPS technology helps to monitor the yields and determine the harvested weight of the crops.
7. GPS for Creating Yield Maps
GPS is known for maps; now, it helps you with creating yield maps. A field can contain various crops or the same crops sowed with different timings. Here, GPS is used to create different yield maps to harvest specific crops at specific times.
8. Harvesting
The GPS aids you to estimate the quantity of crops, the size of the area is being harvested, the right time to harvest, time taken for harvesting, expenses, and returns of crops.
9. Create Your Complete Farm Plan
GPS provides you with a whole view and measurement of the farmland. Also, it helps you make the complete farm plan by deciding the crop to be planted, soil testing, area allocation for multi-crop planting, plowing measurements, seeding area, irrigating & fertilizing time & quantity, harvesting season, etc.
10. GPS to Monitor Farm Machinery And Vehicles
GPS helps you monitor the machines and vehicles used in farming by locating their position on a vast area; also, you can monitor the running hours and idle hours of the machinery and vehicles.
11. Geofence
Geofence is a location-based virtual perimeter used to get alerts or notifications if any cellular network or RFID tag enters or exits a specific geographical location. By using this geofence in the field, farmers’ can deduct any suspicious activities in the field, keep track of vehicles, and also it helps to prevent crop theft.
12. Efficient Farming
Productive and profitable farming needs efficient methods for farming. GPS technology in farming helps to improve farmers’ economy and easy way of farming.
GPS devices in farming are used in many countries; still, many farmers’ are not aware of this promising technology. Our goal is to make this technology accessible for anyone to enhance farming operations.
