Agriculture industry software development

We are an agriculture custom software development company specializing also in blockchain outsource software development, outstaff development and tech consulting. For over five years we have been offering agriculture industry software development services. Boosty Labs is a world-class fintech and cloud engineering team with several years’ background of practice that combines consulting, strategy, design and engineering at scale. Mainly in agriculture software development, ML development, finance, real estate, distributed ledger and cloud technology.

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The reasons for software development in the agriculture industry

01
Agricultural production is the most vulnerable business as it is highly dependent on weather and natural phenomena:it is impossible to structure all business processes in advance.
02
In the process of growing agricultural crops, a fairly large amount of harvest is lost, since the correct strategy for plant protection and fertilization is not always built, and difficulties arise when collecting the resulting crop from the field.
03
Many large companies, along with consumers, are now concerned with the biosecurity of products and compliance with manufacturing standards.
04
In the process of growing agricultural crops, a fairly large amount of harvest is lost, since the correct strategy for plant protection and fertilization is not always built, and difficulties arise when collecting the resulting crop from the field.

Application of blockchain technologies in the agriculture industry

Blockchain is already being used in the agricultural sector, although it can be considered that its implementation is still in its early stages. The technology provides greater transparency while keeping the data intact.

What are the prospects for technology in agriculture? The actual use cases are still very limited, however, the most effective use cases of blockchain in agriculture and agribusiness can be noted.

Increase in crop productivity

The Global Hunger Index still shows that nearly a hundred countries are food insecure. Producing food with less effort while meeting the needs of as many people as possible has long been the focus of many countries, and welfare organizations are working to reduce deaths from hunger and malnutrition. Fortunately, blockchain technology can also play an important role in increasing yields.

Blockchain, by helping to maintain an inventory and database of resources such as water, fertilizers, and labor, can facilitate access to these resources and supplies and thus increase productivity for agricultural farms. Smart inventory, surveillance drones, and associated farming tools are now producing valuable data that can be used to develop a yield monitoring mechanism – connecting the IoT and blockchain will solve many problems.

Progress in the agricultural supply chain

In addition to helping farmers use resources and stocks more efficiently for optimal agricultural production and the best crop yields in season, blockchain is playing an increasingly important role in improving the food and crop supply chain. Thanks to blockchain, the role of intermediaries and agents for the supply of goods from manufacturers to stores and real consumers is reduced.

What’s more, thanks to the blockchain-based supply chain, cereal prices, production date and product expiration dates are truly transparent and accessible to all stakeholders. Finally, by simply keeping track of previous transactions and maintaining a vast database of customers, farmers and shops, blockchain can help address the issue of product availability where it is most in demand.

Agriculture and local community

As agro-industry that preserves local traditions and farming processes becomes more popular due to its low environmental impact, so-called community-based agriculture is gaining momentum. The Internet has opened up a global marketplace for local farmers and agricultural industries. Blockchain helps farmers at the local community level gain access to sales opportunities in large stores and marketplaces.

A growing number of community-based agricultural farms are currently popular in a large market precisely because of transparent business processes based on an accessible database of products that can be tagged with expiration dates and other details captured on the blockchain. Thanks to blockchain, community farmers can now connect directly with buyers in cities and offer them quality products.

Disaster management

Bad weather and natural disasters are often the biggest barriers to sustainable agriculture. This is where blockchain technology offers several useful solutions. Accurate forecasts of bad weather and upcoming natural disasters can provide timely action to prevent damage. This is possible thanks to advanced technological capabilities based on artificial intelligence, machine learning and blockchain.

It is also known that ups and downs in market prices have a detrimental effect on both marketing and the availability of agricultural products in general. This is where blockchain can play an important role simply by maintaining a real-time open database that makes pricing transparent to all stakeholders across the supply chain.

Conclusion

Blockchain in agriculture has a number of advantages and qualities that the industry has been in dire need of. Once blockchain penetrates the industry at all levels, the impact of technology will become more visible.

Agriculture industry software development services

Inability to obtain updated information in cloudy weather, when satellite data does not provide a complete picture

Solution: sensors installed on harvesters or tractors and collecting data on grain yield, moisture level, etc. This information helps in making decisions about the timing of harvesting or fertilizing, as well as developing plans for the next season, analyzing field changes, etc.
Poor quality or incomplete performance of agrotechnological works

Solution: differential fertilization system that focuses on the automatic application of herbicides, chemicals, seeds, which is controlled by sensors, maps and GPS data. This process uses several precision farming technologies: multispectral and hyperspectral cameras, satellite imagery, and application equipment. The system helps to optimize the cost of fertilizers, chemicals and other resources.
High damage to the environment

Solution: a system that allows agricultural enterprises and farmers to switch to the rational use of fertilizers, based on the needs of a particular area of the field. Based on the data of the chemical analysis of the soil, a so-called “digital map” of farmland is compiled. Taking into account the condition of the soil, farmers are given recommendations on the optimal planting of crops, the amount and type of fertilizers and plant protection products. Then “smart” agricultural machinery – seeders, sprayers, spreaders – receive the task cards.
Lack of information

A data management solution that helps manage crop production by integrating information from a variety of equipment and devices. The resulting data is analyzed and stored by one central platform.

Benefits of agriculture industry software development

Precision farming and efficient crop production
The software package for farm management allows you to assess the condition of the soil and plants, increase the yield of land, optimize the cost of fertilizers and plant protection products, and identify areas that need additional irrigation.
The ability to create a big picture of what is happening
A data storage platform specializing in the creation of information resources provides access to a central data warehouse, where information from different sources is combined.
Automation of agricultural machinery
Seeding automation to optimize seed consumption allows you to control the spacing, depth and condition of the root system. Robots can automate weed control: with the help of cameras in real time, they distinguish the weed, and the farmer can decide how to remove it. Telematics is the development of machine-to-machine communication between technology and sensors that provide automation. For example, the camera recognizes a weed and transmits this information to another piece of equipment in order to pull it out or treat it with a herbicide. Seeding automation to optimize seed consumption allows you to control the spacing, depth and condition of the root system.
Differential fertilization
System of automatic application of herbicides, chemicals, seeds, which is regulated by the data received from sensors, maps and GPS. This process uses several precision farming technologies: multispectral and hyperspectral cameras, satellite imagery, and application equipment. The system helps to optimize the cost of fertilizers, chemicals and other resources.

Digitalization trends in agriculture sector

The adoption of digital technologies in agriculture is progressing at a rapid pace in every segment of the global agribusiness. The reason is obvious: digital technology brings tremendous value in reducing costs. This is especially noticeable in the example of precision farming technologies.

Precision farming is a digitally based technology used to manage and optimize crop production. A report published by the investment bank Goldman Sachs emphasizes that these latest technologies can increase yields by 70% on existing farmland. This means that by 2050, the total value of this market will rise to $240 billion. This data is corroborated by the report of the international consultancy company Roland Berger. The study by Berger’s company also noted that agricultural markets in the USA and Europe are the most attractive for the development of digital technologies. However, developing countries will also see some growth in the use of precision agriculture due to the current relatively low cost of land.

A report published by the investment bank Goldman Sachs emphasizes that these latest technologies can increase yields by 70% on existing farmland. This means that by 2050, the total value of this market will rise to $240 billion. This data is corroborated by the report of the international consultancy company Roland Berger. The study by Berger’s company also noted that agricultural markets in the USA and Europe are the most attractive for the development of digital technologies. However, developing countries will also see some growth in the use of precision agriculture due to the current relatively low cost of land.

Potential benefits and added value

Agribusiness experts described the main benefits of precision farming technology. These include:

efficient use of chemicals, fertilizers, water, fuel and other resources;
improving the quantity and quality of products;
higher productivity in the same areas;
reducing the negative impact on the environment;
risk reduction.

These benefits are of immense value. The mentioned Goldman Sachs report calculates the value added in dollars based on each individual precision farming technology:

high-tech fertilizers – $65 billion (total market) with an added value of $200 billion based on an 18% increase in profitability;
precision seeding system – $45 billion with an added value of $145 billion with a 13% increase in yield;
Reducing soil compaction with small tractors – $45 billion with an added value of $145 billion with a 13% increase in yields.
Differentiated fertilization – $35 billion with an added value of $115 billion based on a 10% increase in yield;
field monitoring, data management – $35 billion with a potential added value of $125 billion;
introduction of remedies – $15 billion with an added value of $50 billion with a 4% increase in yield.

The main directions of digital technologies in agriculture

Digital technologies for crop production are developing in several directions at once. The dynamics of development in certain areas is markedly different. Nevertheless, annual growth is noted in all possible areas of digitalization of agribusiness. The most popular digital technologies today are:

Monitoring of the state of agricultural crops, determination of the crop mass index (NDVI). The images are taken from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and satellites.
Preliminary assessment of the harvest. The farmer goes out to his field with a tablet and collects basic harvest data. With the help of computer programs, analysis is carried out and an objective idea of the state of the cultivated crop is formed.
Monitoring and forecasting yield. Collecting data from satellite images, from sensors installed on farm equipment. Assessment of the state of grain harvest, moisture level and other indicators.
Detection of diseases, detection of pests or weeds.
Continuous monitoring of the soil – texture, saturation with organic elements, the level of salinity and the degree of soil nutrition.
Software platforms for farm management. These platforms integrate with a variety of hardware devices that are used in precision agriculture. Data from these devices are combined in a central console, where they can be conveniently processed and analyzed.
Data platforms (“Field View”, “Farmers Business Network” and others). An opportunity for the farmer to have a personalized, centralized platform where data from multiple sources of information is brought together to form a consolidated picture of the state of the industry.

The future of farming

The future of digital technologies in agriculture is promising. More and more new solutions and developments appear every month. These technologies are being adopted by farmers at an accelerated pace. Reports from Roland Berger’s company and Goldman Sachs show that the size and growth of this market is steadily increasing with no signs of slowing down.

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