Agriculture Needs Data-Driven Solutions. Here’s The Reason
With agriculture as the backbone of the Indian economy, it is now an urgent need to integrate technology and smart farming techniques in order to improve the agrarian industry. As weather and rain patterns become increasingly erratic, along with labour loss, drought, crop failure, it is important to take an analytical approach — data collection and scientific research and development.
A major aspect of Big Data is image processing via satellite visuals. From farmers to agri-companies, data is a source of reliable information that can be leveraged for better yields and improved businesses. The idea is to make smart choices and informed judgments based on a more scientific approach rather than depending on just traditional methods of farming.
India has the second-largest population the world, and the agrarian economy forms the major support of this country. Whether it is in terms of livelihood, occupation or sustenance, the future of this nation depends on agriculture and its industries. Yet, this sector is facing the most crucial crisis — erratic weather, droughts, lack of storage, crop failure and wastage, labour exodus and farmer suicides.
It is important to take an analytical look at the farming situation in India, collecting relevant data and mapping points of interest. Only, a data-driven blueprint can help this sector meet the ever-growing demands and be successful.
Smart farming is the need of the hour. Emerging technologies are set to play a crucial part in agriculture — from problem-solving to providing information to research and development. It is time to understand how analytics and data can drive the agrarian sector towards a better future.
One of the challenges in a tech-driven culture is that ground-level workers and farmers lack the know-how to use and implement the technology. FarmGuide is dedicated to solving this issue by creating products that can be easily used by one and all.
ROLE OF DATA ANALYSIS IN AGRICULTURAL SECTORS
Application of science and new technologies is currently lacking within this space. Many companies and start-ups are looking to fill this information gap. If Big Data has made serious advancement in other fields like that of IT, healthcare, education, and even sports, there is an obvious need for it in the agricultural industry. Not only the farmers, but data and analytics are also helping agri-firms and businesses as well, both micro and macro ones.
For example, data can aid insurance companies and banks with their risk assessment and settlements by analyzing crop loss, soil research and satellite images of present-day and past years.
Data gathering for farmers has wide-ranging applications — wind directions, pest control, water availability, choosing crops, plant requirements, soil condition, and multiple other inputs.
USAGE OF DATA IN SOLVING FARMING ISSUES
The end result of gathering data is to analyze them and turn out actionable solutions with better-guaranteed results. For example, a satellite image of a plot of land has several layers of data embedded into a single spectrum, giving us a whole tonne of information to analyze. The intelligence gathered from it can then be used to first identify the core issues, and then to address it in a more scientific approach.
The geospatial approach and satellite monitoring of farms have led to major advancement in how farmers and companies make their decisions. There is a constant flow of data which includes land condition, weather predictions as well as plant-by-plant monitoring.
With every harvest, the farmer has more information and is capable of making smarter choices.
ADVANTAGES OF DATA ANALYSIS IN AGRICULTURE
Data helps every arm of the agricultural sector — debt-laden farmers, insurance agencies, loan banks, seed companies, machine industry and every big and small player. Although farming is a hands-on role driven by physical labour, data analysis and technology can improve the lives of the farmers by bettering their yield, lessening costs, timely actions and maximize the output of their farms.
Currently, the journey of a product from the field to storage to the market is greatly hampered by lack of services and information. Data analysis not only creates greater awareness and more accurate knowledge but also can plug the lacunae in the supply and marketing chain of the industry.
Information is power, and the industry can now have access to it for more informed decision-making.
