What will farming look like in the future?
Farmers today are choosing new technology to improve efficiencies and
profits.
In the future, even more highly evolved agriculture tech solutions
may be a key to feeding an ever increasing human
population.
The planet's population is expected to increase almost 20%
to 9.15 billion by 2050.
Agricultural production would have to grow by
60% to meet this increased demand for food.
And with machines like these farming drones,
robot tractors, and intelligent spinach.
Yeah, you heard that right.
Here are fifteen of the most amazing agriculture machines ever
made.
We're one of the first farms to start the experiment
of growing grapes here in the desert
#15 PTO Tractor Driven pumps.
When you're on the farm and you need to get
stuff done,
you pull out the big guns.
The PTO tractor driven pumps are essential when used for
irrigation and drainage recovery.
In the early 50s, modern new tools and machinery were
being invented with great success,
so it gave the inspiration for the design of a
new machine that would help farmers with irrigation.
The machine uses a water pump pulley with a belt
and most certainly helped meet everyday needs for farmers.
At the end of the 1960s it was taken a
step further,
the first dewatering to be applied to the tractor lift,
allowing the transportation and placement of hydro on site anywhere
the tractor can take it.
It's versatile and super fast to deploy,
can be paired well with other machines,
and can be used off the farm on construction sites
too.
Although the PTO tractor driven pumps were also designed for
use in flood situations,
they're perfect for temporary works on a more regular basis
and removed from sight at the end of each shift.
It's easy to see how this machine makes hard work
easier.
A three-point linkage of most common tractors is used for
quick and easy mobilization to sight,
and some versions also integrate a trailer to haul it.
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#14 intelligent spinach. Would you believe it that scientists have
transformed a spinach plant using artificial intelligence into a bomb
detector?
Yeah, it's true. By embedding tiny tubes in the plant
leaves,
they can be made to pick up chemicals called Nitro
aromatics,
which are found in landmines and other buried munitions.
And in real time, that information can then be wirelessly
transmitted to a handheld device.
Welcome to the future. They're implanting nanoparticles in carbon nanotubes,
or tiny cylinders of carbon,
into the leaves of the spinach plant.
To process the signal, the researchers shine a laser onto
the leaf,
prompting the nanotubes to radiate near infrared fluorescent light.
It's detected with a small infrared camera connected to a
computer.
And of course, the useful information can also be detected
by a smartphone after removing the infrared filter most models
use the genius engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Innovative Nanotechnology to create spinach plants capable of literally getting
phone notifications when they detect explosives.
In the future, scientists think intelligent plants could also offer
warnings about pollution or even climate change
#13 drone farming. Are you ready for next level farming?
Drones are changing the face of agriculture around the world.
They can help farmers and still be good for the
earth,
even cut down on pesticides.
These drones are unmanned aerial vehicles used to help streamline
agricultural operations,
boost crop production, and monitor crops overall.
Using an agriculture drone and gathering information from it may
prove useful in improving yields and farm efficiency overall.
However, the drone's primary purpose is for analyzing his crops.
Their sensors and digital imaging features can provide farmers a
richer picture of their fields.
The farmer flies the drone over the farmers fields taking
photos.
These are then sent to a computer or phone where
an app shows the health of his crops.
Multispectral images show a near infrared view as well as
a visual spectrum perspective.
The combination shows the farmer the difference between healthy and
unhealthy plants,
a difference not always clearly visible to the naked eye.
High contrast colorized pictures highlight problem areas and the drones
help to identify diseases,
pests, fungus and weeds, which means more informed data packed
crop management
number twelve 3D printing revolution
you can imagine. The pressures to improve efficiency in any
field means continued innovation,
including the design and speedy delivery of farm equipment.
That's where 3D printing comes in,
the cutting edge manufacturing process where a digital file directs
the printer to lay down multiple layers of liquid powder,
paper, even steel to make a three-dimensional solid object for
agriculture.
This overall customization is particularly convenient to get 3D printed
tools.
For example, farmers with their own 3D scanner and printer
could scan a worn or broken gasket or latch,
then either print it themselves or send it out for
printing.
This way the tools can be customized specific to the
activity and their particular use,
adding to a long tradition of farmer self-reliance.
They can even print with plastics made from the corn
they grow.
And at the end of the day,
agriculture and technology have a lot in common.
They go together. And not only that,
3D printing is the game changing tool for mass customization.
And it goes without saying that this innovation is also
suited to create custom made objects for many different sectors
such as medical or automotive
#11 smartphone agriculture technology is advancing every day and mobile
apps are popping up like
nobody's business. And there are agricultural mobile apps out there
which have been categorically designed to help farmers collect information
on the fields,
soil, weather directly on their smartphones.
This advancement in technology brought many improvements in the facilities
used in farming.
Farm work isn't done from the comfort of the living
room.
Farmers are often far from their computers and laptops,
but with a farming mobile app,
these hard workers can farm from anywhere.
One of the more major changes in smartphone farming is
the development of monitoring protocols.
The eyes and ears of your operation,
even the more daily management of running farms,
the staff schedules, inventory control,
for example, all made easier on your smartphone.
Smartphone agriculture can be used to gather info from a
multitude of platforms and ultimately find a solution that fits
the farming needs,
not to mention reduce their overall production costs.
The marriage of mobile technology and portable wireless devices naturally
led to innovative services and applications with major agricultural value
#10 Kubota X Tractor If there was ever a dream
tractor,
this would be it. According to Kubota,
a Japanese tractor maker, they agreed.
The Kubota X tractor made its debut at an exhibition
in Kyoto City,
Japan, providing a glimpse at the future of farming a
completely autonomous tractor fitted with artificial intelligence and an electric
powertrain with in wheel motors and a combination of lithium
ion batteries and solar batteries.
According to the creators, their latest robot tractor can steer
itself on various terrains.
When more stability is necessary,
the tractor lowers itself, bringing down the center of gravity.
And to avoid healthy tall crops or obstacles,
it can increase its height and therefore its ground clearance.
Based on various data such as weather data and growth
rates,
AI chooses the appropriate operation and makes actions timely.
And there's even more. The environmental data the tractor collects
can be automatically shared with other machines on the site,
which only means a more centrally managed operation.
And then there's the 100%
electric power, which results in 0 emissions.
Quite an achievement. 1/2 century after exhibiting its first ever
tractor at the Japan World Exposition in 1970,
the Kubota X Robot tractor was born
#9 Crowd Farming. This is an online platform that promotes
direct contact between farmers and food lovers.
You log in to adopt your own personal tree,
beehive, vine, plant or even sheep and receive your choices
when harvest comes around.
It's a new direct and transparent food supply chain created
by young farmers.
The idea for crowd farming originally came from orange farmers
in Spain,
from the legendary farm Naran Hass del Carmen.
The family that run the farm were concerned about food
distribution and growing ethically and on the low prices that
they were being offered from the big supermarkets.
Something needed to change, and they set out to revolutionize
the supply chain,
linking farmers and food lovers and turning beloved consumers into
the aptly titled Crowd Farmers.
To join in, all you need to do is visit
the Crowd Farming website,
then choose any of the produce you're interested in adopting.
When harvest rolls around, you get the produce directly to
your doorstep by setting up orders in advance.
Through the innovative system, farmers can plan their harvest in
detail,
cultivate just as much as they need to,
and then reduce waste. It's an essential service
#8 vertical tower farming. Is this what farming will look
like in the future?
Well, the future is here and it's looking up.
Vertical tower farming involves growing crops indoors using vertical space
to Max out the growth potential indoors.
The adjustable climate can be controlled 24 hours a day,
365 days a year. Crop destroying pests can be minimized
and with that less use of toxic pesticides.
You can add water, control light levels and all necessary
essential nutrients can be distributed with the use of timers.
There's no need to rely on the Earth's natural cycle
of sun up sundown or wait for Mother Nature to
make it rain.
The crops receive no true sunlight and the sun's vital
rays are recreated with LED lamps.
And to get a closer look,
there's an army of infrared cameras and sensors monitoring measurements
of temperature,
moisture and plant growth. All that data and artificial intelligence
involved in the sophisticated vertical farms help the farmers fine
tune the operation.
And even better, this modern farming method uses a Symphony
of sustainability features to offset the energy cost of farming.
In fact, vertical tower farms use
95% less water than traditional farming
#7 desert agriculture. How do you farm where there's no
water?
People still need food to eat,
don't they? Desert climates can be farmed successfully,
however, and it's been practiced by humans for thousands of
years.
In Israel's Negev Desert, scientists have found evidence that
agriculture's roots go as far back as
5000 BC. This desert covers over 60%
of Israel and, believe it or not,
has actually shrunk in size over the past century.
Desert agriculture has turned dry sand into healthy,
green farmland. Others are throwing salt into the equation in
the Judean Desert near the northern Dead Sea.
Here, farmers use minerals from the Dead Sea,
which can also be found in the sand,
and it's famous for yielding especially strong,
flavorful crops like basil, considered the best in the world
and known to be an increasingly dry climate over the
years.
Californian farmers rely solely on irrigation,
the redirection of water through artificial systems to satisfy desert
agricultural demands.
And did you know that a square foot of farmland
requires an average of 6 feet of irrigation water?
Elsewhere, like Australia and Saudi Arabia
also uses modern desert agriculture,
working to provide delicious food for the world to enjoy.
Number six, cultured meat farming.
Ever heard of cultured meat?
Well, the beef on cultured meat farming doesn't involve meat
from living animals,
but rather growing it in a laboratory.
It comes from cultured cell based or cultivated meat produced
directly from animal cells.
Kind of cool, right? But also kind of weird.
The benefits are that it will allow us to reduce
food waste and make the need for killing livestock unnecessary.
However, it is controversial. If the trend of cultured farm
meat continues and consumers or suppliers choose lad meat over
the standards we're used to,
the value of naturally grown meat will rise.
Until your 100% all beef hot dog is going to
cost you.
Meat that's directly derived from traditional livestock sources will become
a luxury.
So you can understand why our beloved hard working farmers
have concerns about cultured meat farming.
On the positive side, instead of raising livestock like they
have in the past,
farmers will be able to focus more on naturality and
quality.
There will be no more crowding of animals and inhumane
conditions and unethical processes.
Cultured meat farming could change the world,
replacing the way meat is produced now with a kinder
approach and less of a carbon footprint
#5 Lotus Silk farming. Sometimes the future of agriculture involves
taking a look to the past.
The ancient and sacred practice of Lotus silk farming.
This deluxe natural fiber can only be farmed by a
few skilled craftspeople around the globe.
Why? Farmers often toil for hours to clear Lotus paddies
of rotting stems,
which ruin the soil and bring unwanted insects.
So why not put those stems to use?
However, extracting enough of the natural silk fibers for one
scarf can take eight weeks.
That's 4000 Lotus stems. Once the Lotus stem is picked
by hand,
the silk inside is then extracted within 24 hours while
they're still wet.
Otherwise, the silk could break.
Each Lotus stem contains the tiniest amount of thin,
sticky silk fibers which are then rolled together and dried
gently weighed down and delicately hand spooled.
These fibers are fragile, but once woven,
Lotus silk is as durable as traditional silk.
The final product is out of this world.
Luxurious, lightweight, incredibly soft and water resistant too,
Lotus silk is believed by the Burmese people to possess
calming powers,
relieve headaches, and restore peaceful balance within.
This extremely rare and exclusive fabric is used to produce
robes for Buddhist monks as well
#4 the Scythe Renaissance. The scythe is back.
It's an old school tool,
primarily used for cutting grasses or wheat.
The exact origin of the classic scythe isn't entirely clear,
but it came into wider use in 8th century Europe
when the harvesting and storing of hay became important to
support livestock through winters.
And because all things old and useful have become new
and improved,
hundreds of us have unanimously welcomed the scythe back into
the grass growing arsenal.
It's efficient, it's practical, and a whole lot of fun
to use.
This scythe renaissance has re inspired folks to tackle pesky
mowing jobs in an interesting and an environmentally friendly way.
Back in the day, the scythe tradition of larger farms
mowing would be organized to make use of the strongest
males available and for bigger jobs.
Scythe mowing gangs. The other men,
women and children in the community would tackle the rest
of their hay making and carding done,
which requires at least five workers for each mower.
A lot of work. However,
to this day, especially in more remote European towns,
Sithing is treasured as part of local folklore.
And there are international Sithing competitions where enthusiasts enter to
showcase their unique skills at grabbing the crops
#3 aquaculture. Water is essential to most farming.
But what about farming and water?
It's called aquaculture, the cultivation of aquatic organisms primarily for
human consumption,
like regular aquaculture, but with fish instead of plants or
livestock.
Most of the seafood that you find at your local
grocery store is a direct result of aquaculture,
and it happens all over the world,
from coastal ocean waters to freshwater Pines and rivers,
even on land and tanks.
And since 2012, its global output reached more than 70
million tons,
beating out beef production for the first time and amounting
to nearly 1/2 of all fish and shellfish consumed on
Earth.
Not only is aquaculture essential,
it's also a sustainable option for consumers,
especially in comparison to other farmed proteins.
Highly resource efficient, with the highest protein retention compared to
chicken,
pork and beef. And on top of that,
aquaculture has lower greenhouse gas emissions than other types of
farming.
Don't forget seafoods heart healthy reputation is expected to drive
demand by
35% or more in the next 20 years.
With a global catch of wild fish decreasing each year,
experts say it's likely all of that new seafood we'd
love to eat will all have to be farmed
#2 farming by satellite. This incredibly advanced kind of precision
agriculture,
or farming by satellite, was really only possible after the
invention of GPS.
The farmer's ability to locate their precise position on a
field allows for the creation of maps.
The satellite reveals differences in growing conditions.
It's literally a bird's eye view on fields and crops
that can indeed help in identifying zones of crop stress.
In fact, many variables can be measured like crop yield,
terrain features or topography, organic matter content,
moisture levels, you name it.
The satellites help farmers to make smarter,
faster and more detailed understanding of their crops overall status.
This data is used in unison with satellite imagery by
variable rate technology or VRT to send direct commands to
the farmers,
Cedars and sprayers to optimally distribute resources consistently and easily
to the crops.
The advantage of satellite data is that it can provide
recent images of the crop at affordable prices,
or even for free. And farming by satellite is also
good news,
as we imagine a future where field operations could be
completed efficiently by robots and in some crop dusting drones,
both receiving signals and commands from satellite hubs in space.
Incredible
#1 The History of the Plow
Farming is easily the oldest industry in the world.
Over 4000 years ago, basic handheld tools eventually brought about
this simple yet transformative piece of farming technology,
a plow. First came the scratch plow.
These primitive plows were pulled by oxen,
camels, or even elephants, which enabled the land to be
tilled more easily and faster and produced more food for
their communities.
Its existence became closely linked to the success of crops
overall.
By cultivating the soil with plows,
germination got better, crop yields increased as well as crop
quality.
This led to major prosperity amongst farmers and literally created
an era of major economic growth.
After using horse plows, the more mobile wheeled tractor plow
slowly took over in the early
1900s and was the start of the modern system we're
familiar with today.
In the 1920s when the Harry
Ferguson's 3 point linkage system was invented and it totally
revolutionized the plow's performance.
This system of attaching it to a tractor is now
universally used throughout the agricultural world.
Good plowing effectively turns the soil,
controls weeds, improves drainage, aerates the soil,
and reduces the risk of disease.
The classic plow will continue to meet all the demands
of farming in the future.
Those were fifteen of the most amazing agriculture machines ever
made.
Thanks for watching.