IOT BASED AGRICULTURE AUTOMATION

Abstract

Smart farming, IOT based agriculture Automation and Agriculture 4.0 all involve the integration of advanced technologies into existing farming architecture. The goal is to increase production efficiency and product quality, as well as reducing overall costs. To this end, the inclusion of Smart technologies into Irish agriculture has been inevitable with increased pressure being placed on farming practices to remain profitable, as well as adhere to environmental regulation.
The global Smart Agriculture Solution Market is said to have stood at around US $10.2 Billion in 2016, and is projected to reach a valuation of US $38.1 Billion by the end of 2024. The growing adoption of advanced technology in farming, from agricultural drones, precision seeding systems, auto-steering, automatic feeding systems and fruit-picking robots (amongst others), have all incentivised traditional agri-companies to invest in smart agriculture technology. The deployment of advanced agri-tech has the potential to allow for an increased focus on non-profitable tasks, such as farm maintenance and environmental practices. The reduction of heavy labour and tedious tasks can also lead to improvements in the health and work/life balance of farming staff.