Evolution of Technology in the Agricultural Industry.

“Technological” advances have in more ways than one shaped the history of agriculture. And man, in more ways than one, has continually sought ways to improve his agricultural output and exploits through the use of various “technological tools.” According to an article by the Innovation News Network “The evolution of agricultural technology began some 10,000 years ago. Simple hand tools providing relief at the beginning gradually evolved into the mechanical equipment commonly available to farmers today.” Today, historians can look at points in human history and link major shifts in agricultural productivity, and practices to technological improvements. One such example being the irrigation technology which was developed independently by a number of different cultures, with the earliest known examples dating to the 6th millennium BCE in Khuzistan in the southwest of present-day Iran.

Simply put, Agriculture as we know it today, has been transformed by a number of technological advancements, from the development of simple farm tools to the development of tractors and various farm machinery during the “Industrial Revolution.”

The Industrial Revolution marked a turning point for agriculture, as it not only greatly improved productivity, but it also laid the foundation for whatever technological advancements we use in agriculture today. Be it “low-end tech” or “high-end tech.” It also helped introduce the concept of “Agricultural technology or agrotechnology (abbreviated agtech, agritech, AgriTech, or agrotech) which is the use of technology in agriculture, horticulture, and aquaculture with the aim of improving yield, efficiency, and profitability.”

This led to humans making major advances in subsequent centuries, as the 19th century saw the development of modern weather forecasting and the invention of barbed wire. Improvements to portable engines and threshing machines led to their widespread adoption.

The 20th century saw major advances in agricultural technologies, including the development of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and new agricultural machinery, including mass-produced tractors and agricultural aircraft for the aerial application of pesticides. More recent advances have included agricultural plastics, genetically modified crops, improved drip irrigation, and soilless farming techniques such as hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics.

And in the first decades of the 21st century, Information Age technologies have been increasingly applied to agriculture. Agricultural robots, agricultural drones and driverless tractors have found regular use on farms, while digital agriculture and precision agriculture make use of extensive data collection and computation to improve farm efficiency.

Today, the development of technology in agriculture is highly driven by state and private interests, and one of such private interestsstate-of-the-art is VIRFARS Limited, a subsidiary of Maslinar Group, an agricultural outfit, and a social investment initiative of over 50 youths across Africa. We aim to create and provide all-around scalable digital agricultural solutions (in the form of our products and services) through the use of state of the art technology.

With the help of technology, we’ve identified critical problem areas in the agricultural sector across African countries, and have tailor-made our products to address these areas and provide solutions that mitigate the adverse effects experienced in these areas. Our technology-driven products are;

1. Virtual Farming; People who want to invest in the agro sector and earn profits without being directly involved can do so safely and securely with Virfars with this product. It is simply farming from the comfort of your home, and it is structured in a way that you can get real-time information about the farms in which your money is invested.

2. Agromart: This is a safe peer-to-peer marketplace that links farmers with buyers, sellers, and transporters. The market will have AI tools that recommend the best pricing, real-time information, and vendors’ locations andgoods. The market will provide the precise data needed for forecasting and thoughtful planning.

3. U-Trust: U-Trust is our tool powered by blockchain technology which provides security for landowners. The tool allows for electronic signature by those involved in the leasing of lands across countries, digitization of assets with inheritable legal records and documentation of activities performed with such assets distributed across a network of computers known as smart contracts. This enables trust among landowners and Virfars.

Our solutions, of which Virtual Farming is a first of its kind, will;

● Lower the cost of sourcing.

● Improve logistics approach.

● Increase the market that dealers can reach, increasing turnover etc.

Bottom Line: All we have done at virfars, is through the help of technology, identify problem areas in the agricultural sector, and with the advancements of technology in the 21st century, provide scalable technological solutions. Thereby contributing our quota of technological advancement of the agricultural sector.

References.

● https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_technology

● https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/the-evolution-of-agricultural-technology/6039/