The Role of Precision Agriculture in the Promotion of Food Security

Abstract

Population explosion and the need to provide food for humankind and to increase the quality and quantity of food products in order to ensure food security with regard to its managerial, environmental, and developmental aspects has led to the use of new agriculture methods and technologies. Today, different approaches, such as plant breeding, genetically modified foods, in vitro planting, and the spread of closed ecological systems, are applied as a solution to increase food accessibility. In addition to these methods, using modern technologies under the title of precision agriculture have been proposed as ways to achieve food security. Early intervention to prevent the occurrence of unwanted events with the ability to monitor crops in all stages of production, from tillage to post harvest, are provided by using various methods, such as remote sensing and geographic information systems. In addition to the economic and environmental impacts of precision agriculture, expanding farmers' awareness through the use of modern technologies and the integration of scattered lands to achieve sustainability are known as social impacts of precision agriculture. In this manuscript we have tried to summarize the different methods of precision agriculture that could affect food security in its multiple branches.

Framing Agri‐Digital Governance: Industry Stakeholders, Technological Frames and Smart Farming Implementation

“…This occurs through the production and availability of new data, often available in real time, that enables ‘decision‐making capabilities at a level that was not possible before’ (Wolfert et al 2017, p. 78). In doing so, smart farming technologies are viewed by scientists and policymakers as a win‐win solution to diverse challenges such as farm productivity, global food security and the environmental impacts of farming (Bongiovanni and Lowenberg‐DeBoer 2004; Oliver 2013; Talebpour et al 2015; Lindblom et al 2017).…”

Bridging the gap between conservation delivery and economics with precision agriculture

“…Although intensive agricultural production causes numerous environmental problems, the potential to create more sustainable, environmentally resilient agricultural landscapes has never been greater. Precision agriculture technology will be necessary to address sustainable intensification of production agriculture, but can also serve as the link between targeted conservation and production agriculture (Gebbers and Adamchuck , Telabpour et al ). This approach will require a paradigm shift in how natural resource managers think about conservation.…”

Expert Insights on the Impacts of, and Potential for, Agricultural Big Data

“…Earlier surveys examined the regulatory and social barriers pertaining to novel breeding approaches using genome editing and any related risks and benefits [39][40][41][42], among other topics. Along with the new breeding methods, incorporating modern cross-industry technologies and applications (e.g., data analytics, drone technology and artificial intelligence) has also been proposed as another way to boost productivity and achieve food security [11]. To gain more insights about this, the article reports the results of an online survey conducted between April and September of 2019.…”

“…Digital agriculture makes use of advanced precision technologies along with intelligent networks and data management tools [6]. By incorporating modern technologies and applications, new agriculture routinesalongside other solutions (e.g., new products, different plant breeding techniques) aim to address increasing demand for food from a larger world population, disruptions caused by climate change, and scarcity of land and other natural resources [11,12].…”