What if you could track the journey of your food from the moment the seed is sown to when it reaches your plate?
It’s all possible through satellite connectivity.
Key takeaways
- The concept of Agriculture 4.0 involves using data-driven solutions to address farming challenges.
- Internet of Things (IoT) sensors can be used to track livestock, optimize grazing patterns, and detect early signs of illness.
- The same technology can also be applied to automating farming, enabling more efficient irrigation and fertilizer use based on real-time soil condition data.
- Sensors can monitor the conditions of food transportation, providing real-time alerts about temperature fluctuations, thereby supporting a reduction in food waste.
- In aquaculture, sensors can monitor water conditions and the health of fish populations, supporting a more sustainable seafood industry.
Agriculture 4.0
IoT is increasingly supporting farmers to get their products to market more efficiently as global demand continues to soar. Agriculture 4.0 is the idea of using data to make smarter decisions on the farm. Think about sensors in the field constantly measuring things like soil moisture or nutrient levels, or in the future, driverless harvesters controlled through an app – increasing production capabilities and freeing farmers up to focus on more important tasks.
It’s all about getting the right information at the right time, in the easiest and most cost-effective way, which is why the sensor technology behind everything farmers produce and distribute often requires seamless connectivity.
However, farmland, stretching out over miles and miles of rural land, often doesn’t have access to conventional communication infrastructure. That’s where satellite-enabled IoT comes in. This technology can improve the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of operations in remote areas, previously out of reach for traditional networks, helping to bridge the digital divide in agriculture.
Weather or not
When combined with connected weather stations, IoT sensors can more quickly and accurately predict weather conditions that might impact crops or livestock. This level of preparedness can help farmers make more informed decisions about what to plant and when, and how to best manage livestock.
Every drop counts
Sensors can also help with water conservation, especially in areas facing drought or water scarcity. Instead of just watering fields on a set schedule, farmers can use IoT-enabled sensors to measure soil moisture levels in real time. With this data, they can irrigate only when and where it’s absolutely necessary, saving huge amounts of water.
Waste and pollution
Irresponsible use of fertilizers can have significant environmental consequences. However, by analyzing soil nutrient levels, sensors can guide farmers on the exact type and amount of fertilizer to use. This precision reduces waste and helps minimize farming’s environmental impact.
Food safety
Food safety is a major concern for global food production and consumers alike. IoT sensors are revolutionizing how we safeguard our food from farm to table, including real-time monitoring of best-before consumption dates. By placing sensors inside food transport, companies can track temperature and humidity levels throughout the journey, significantly reducing the risk of spoilage.
Fitbits for cows
Managing thousands of cattle scattered across vast grazing lands presents a significant challenge for ranchers. However, with satellite-enabled sensors, tracking each animal’s location in real time becomes seamless. This data is invaluable for preventing theft, optimizing grazing patterns, and maintaining a constant eye on the herd’s health. Moreover, this technology isn’t limited to cattle; it can be applied to most land animals, including horses, camels, and even endangered species, benefiting ranchers, wildlife experts, and researchers alike.
Fish farming
In aquaculture, sensors play a crucial role in monitoring key metrics such as water temperature, oxygen levels, and even the health of the fish. This real-time data empowers fish farmers to promptly adjust feeding schedules, optimize water conditions, and even detect early signs of disease within fish populations.
Coming to the table
To drive progress in IoT, Viasat introduced ELEVATE, a unique partner program that supports businesses throughout the entire IoT ecosystem.
The ELEVATE program acts as a springboard for IoT innovation by connecting diverse partner organizations to collaborate and create pioneering industrial IoT and satellite-enabled technologies poised to benefit numerous sectors, such as agriculture.
For example, our ELEVATE partner, Farmbot Monitoring Solutions, provides satellite-enabled water level monitors, rain gauges, and remote pump controls to ranchers who can now manage their entire water system via a mobile app.
Another partner, Sensoterra, specializes in wireless soil moisture monitoring solutions, providing data-driven solutions for optimizing land and freshwater resources for smart resilient cities, water and drought management and agriculture/horticulture.
MinFarm Tech is a satcom engineering company specializing in energy and data-saving IoT gateways, enabling seamless IoT data transfer over satellite networks in remote locations like farmlands. With its technology, farmers can better manage their irrigation.
The IoT-enabled farm
The data revolution is sweeping through agriculture, promising to reshape our global food system. By increasing transparency and empowering more informed decisions at all levels, this transformation stands to tackle some of the world’s most urgent food challenges
As this technology advances, satellite communication is emerging as a key player. From tracking livestock and optimizing crop yields to conserving precious resources and delivering affordable produce, satellite-enabled IoT is deeply involved in what ends up on our plates.
This technology is not just about efficiency; it’s about creating a more secure and sustainable food future for all.