Precision Agriculture among small scale farmers

Small scale farmers face the problem of low yields, high cost of farming and poor risks managements. The agri-food industry faces a great challenge due to the growing global population. When considering land scarcity, this can be solved only by a higher production efficiency. Precision agriculture (PA) provides a potential answer. Most farms, especially in developing countries, are small-scale units that have difficulties in applying precision agriculture technologies. On the basis of the systematically selected articles, major benefits and constraints were identified, and solutions were provided. Due to the low economic performance of smallholdings, (demonstrated) economic benefits are essential; however, it should be added that PA also provides potential environmental benefits. The five main constraints of precision agriculture technologies at the small-scale level are small land size, high cost of adoption, technology-related difficulties, lack of professional support and lack of supporting policy. 

Precision Agriculture will solve the following

1. Reduced costs

Being able to accurately decrease fertilizer, herbicide or seed rates in areas where it will not be economical to utilize is one of the key benefits of precision agriculture.

2. Increased Profitability

Increasing yields because of applying agronomic principles at a high resolution, while reducing costs increases overall profitability. Farmers Edge offers one of the lowest-priced, high-value packages in the industry through our unique application of technology. 

3. Enhanced Sustainability

Ensuring that crop input products applied actually get into the plant and not elsewhere affecting the environment delivers not only a superior bottom line but also supports a safer environment, and in the future, can even give you access to new markets for your crops. Using our precision services, we have been able to quantify that, on average, a Farmers Edge Variable Rate (VR) customer reduced their carbon footprint by over 10% while increasing output!

4. Improved Harvest

One of the most significant benefits of precision agriculture is the ability to understand the farm nutrient levels and soil types across the farm.  We know that fields and geographies are not created equal, and this can impact the amount of nitrogen mineralizations, water holding capacity, and much more. When we understand these variances, we can ensure we do not over apply nitrogen, which can lead to lodging, or we can increase nutrients like potassium that help with standability in areas where it is low. To top it off, we can do VR desiccation, meaning we can have a lower amount of desiccant on hilltops or sandy areas and higher rates in low spots to ensure your crop can be harvested with ease.

5. Increased Land Values

Since precision Agriculture is an excellent practice from an agronomic perspective, then it can also drive the value of land prices

6. Higher Resolutions Understanding of Your Farm

Farmers know their land better than anyone. Precision agriculture gives you the ability to understand why certain areas of your farm under produce, or are producing better, giving you the foundation to make decisions that continually improve the farm.

7. Better In season Yield Understanding

Using precision imagery, or precision weather services can help to not only gain an understanding of areas of your farm that are seeing challenges or need more attention but through this combination of information regarding the farms and fields, we can provide accurate yield prediction in-season, empowering better decisions agronomically as well as for marketing or assets aquitition.

increase profitability

Reduce losses, 

Increase food production

influence positive climatic change through land reclamation.

My team live within this farmers. We have Agronomists and agriculture officers who interact and educate this farmers and monitor their farming activities while guiding them accordingly. We also help them find sustainable markets for their farms produce. Therefore pushing the idea to them is not a challenge at all.

The system has been imremented and we are testing and debbuging to see how efficient it is and any possible problems being identified and collected.

We need adequate funding to keep this system running, logistic movements, machine purchase and maintenance. so to answer your question we need funding and more funding.

the solution is tailored for small scale farmers and low income earners. whereas such solution exist for big large scale farming and organizations, small scale farmers are at a disadvantage since they can forecast and make informed decisions about their farming methods. This solution will give them an upper hand to increase production, reduce pre-harvest and post harvest losses and maximize profits.

Small scale farmers will adopt  a new farming management approach, where farmers can capture and analyze data in order to optimize inputs and practices for best outcomes. Using sensors and remote images from satellites or drones, as well information from public sources and research institutions, farmers collect data on soil quality, weather, plant growth, hydration and so forth. This data then guides decisions on which crop to plant or when and where to apply fertilizer, agriculture chemicals or water. As a result, farmers can optimize the use of inputs, making maximum use of the little resources they have.

The long term benefit is toimprove the control of input variables such as fertilizer, seed, chemicals or water with respect to the desired outcomes of increased profitability, reduced losses, reduced environmental risk or better product quality among small scale farmers.

1. Understand your soil first

Soil is considered the most important factor influencing crop production. So it is only fitting that applying precision farming on small farms should first include understanding the soil of your farm better.

By using precision-agriculture solutions like Soil data Analytics, even small farmers can conduct grid or systematic sampling by easily obtaining precise sample points. The grids themselves can be layered according to the information obtained from the site.

For instance, the size of the grids can be varied according to the value of the crop. Finally, based on the information obtained from the chemical analysis of the soil, small precision farmers can obtain easily readable visualizations of the soil attributes, and to make it even easier, they can apply different rates of fertilizers on different patches of their land.

Choosing soil sampling and analysis in the initial stages of precision-agriculture adoption by small farmers is important because it is relatively easy and affordable and doesn’t require much knowledge and experience, which is clearly a problem in small farmers of developing countries.

2. Choosing Small machines for small farm

As the demand for precision-farming tools and equipment is rising, manufacturers are making machines and tools that are designed for small farmers.

Small precision farmers can now find highly specialized tractors, seeders, and weeding machines that are scaled-down, both in size and in cost, to fit the needs of small farmers.

3. Rely on expert Agri-solution providers

One of the major barriers of precision farming to small farmers is that its cost may not justify its benefits. Large farms, on the other hand, have their own team of experts, tools, machines, and systems to properly implement precision agriculture.

To solve this problem, small farmers can get affordable integrated packages of precision agriculture solutions tailored for small farmers. Hiring or renting machines and technologies is also a great way to make precision farming more affordable and profitable for small farmers.

4. Prioritize Sustainability and Environmental-friendliness

Environmental friendliness and sustainability are major goals of using precision agriculture. It is even more so in the case of small farms since most small farms since can increase the market value of the crops, help reach a wider market and increase profitability.

The amount of harmful chemical inputs in the form of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides is drastically reduced by applying VRA technologies. For small farms, organic manures can be an excellent option to further amplify the effects.

5. Consider crop-value and Input-value

The value of your crop as well the value of your input should drive the type and intensity of precision-agriculture application on your farm.

Oftentimes, even if the size of your farm is small, the crop that you are producing can be of very high value or the cost of your farm inputs can be very high. The size of the farm should not be a barrier to applying precision agriculture since it can make your agribusiness profitable and efficient by either increasing yield or reducing costs.

The core technology is Geospatial information system coupled with Artificial intelligence, Quantum computing, machine learning, among other components.

We have a team of over 100 people who consist of Agronomist, agricultural officers, students on attachment, field supervisors and government officials.

For 5 years we have been working on problems identification which was done within the 1st 2 years, problems analysis was done within a year, Design and development has been going on and at the moment we are dry running and testing the solution.

We deploy a spiritual servant leadership and we approach every problem and challenge from a discussion point of view. We deploy the KAIZEN principal and we celebrate our small achievements.

At the moment the business model is Brick and mortal and its focused  to benefit the customer first for FREE. The customers who are small scale farmers need to use this solution and get addicted to using it and fully rely on it. the revenue will be tertiary in terms of donations, extra products and subscription. we hope by subscription we will have introduced a BETA version of the solution. 

At the moment i have been funding the project through money that comes from other ICT solutions that i have developed.  Its not that i make too much so i fund it from my own pocket and other personal projects. 

The aim is to offer the solution as a FREEMIUM and afterwards gain revenue in terms of subscription packages that will be tailor made for farmers and agro chemical companies among other stake holders.

Market segmentation is the preferred marketing model to start. however evaluation is always being done and it might change.