Our Tech Farmer magazines aim to bring the most interesting technology content from the UK and the rest of the world to you.
Modern agriculture incorporates a diverse range of technologies to enhance productivity, sustainability and efficiency. Precision farming, utilising GPS technology and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), enables accurate mapping of fields and optimised navigation for farming equipment. Advanced farm management software driven by data analytics and decision support systems, empowers farmers with insights into crop performance and resource allocation. New fungicide and spraying technologies have the ability to reduce the amount of inputs we use while increasing the yields from the crops we grow. At the same time, new varieties are coming to the market all the time and genetic editing (coupled with artificial intelligence) could see step changes in productivity.
Smart equipment, such as precision planting and harvesting machinery, leverages automation and sensor technologies for precise and efficient operations. The Internet of Things (IoT) plays a pivotal role, with sensor networks providing real-time data on soil conditions and smart irrigation systems optimizing water usage. Biotechnology, including genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and CRISPR technology, contributes to crops with enhanced traits. Drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) aid in aerial imaging, pest detection, and targeted application of pesticides. Blockchain technology ensures supply chain traceability, while innovations like vertical farming and hydroponics offer controlled environments for year-round crop production. We expect to see AI change the way varieties are bred and the speed with which we see new technology to the market.
Collectively, these technologies form the building blocks of how of modern agriculture will evolve, promoting profitability, sustainability, productivity and the responsible use of resources.
Latest Tech Farmer Content
Unleashing the Potential of Agri-Tech
Written by Chris Fellows In the realm of agriculture, a technological revolution is underway, reshaping…
It’s 2030 – Has food security improved?
Tom Allen-Stevens travels forward to 2030 and looks back at what progress has been made…
Farmer Focus – Tom Clarke
Write about the future of farming, they said. We’d like your thoughts on the innovations…
The power of diversity
A change in English law now allows certain gene-edited crops to be grown on commercial…
Seeds of a wild idea
Evolution becomes revolution with AI
Foundational artificial intelligence may still be in its infancy, but it’s already being used to…
SFI funding brings precision promise
There are new payments to encourage the uptake of precision farming, and increasingly powerful platforms…
Use Analytics To Identify the Best Investments for Your No-Till Operation
Written by Noah Newman and published by No-Till Farmer, 30 January 2024 Clay Mitchell, no-tiller…
Soil Association Exchange – Building business resilience through measurement
Ben Makowiecki, Agricultural Sustainability Director at Lloyds Bank, sets out the Bank’s ambition and actions…
Feeding the world or seeding unknowns?
Spraying in a smaller window
In a particularly challenging season for field operations, Amazone’s David Thomason considers how new tech…
Big data – farming’s friend or foe?
Unlocking the potential of big data can lead to smarter farming, but there are complex…
A light shines on vertical farming
In the second of a series exploring the technology of vertical farming, Alex Martin from…
Resistance is futile
Three start-ups are looking at new ways to deliver effective crop protection solutions that could…
A familiar field
Global FieldID is a way of harnessing data to create “Nature Intelligence”, argues Davide Ceper,…
The trait that could transform wheat farming
The discovery of a grass that makes its own antibiotics may have wide-reaching implications for…
No-Till’s future depends on practical tech & regulation
Written by Mackane Vogel, Assistant Editor, No Till Farmer New technology in the world of…
Levy-funded trials help fine-tune fungicide choice
AHDB Technical Content Manager Jason Pole explains the role of the fungicide performance information in…
Data-driven decisions open up new opportunities
Bringing all the data together within a management system has allowed a Lincolnshire arable business…
Precision future for pesticide application
Precision application techniques enable farmers to deliver products more effectively and with greater accuracy onto…
The promising potential of agri-tech
As the three Agri-Tech Centres come together, Phil Bicknell, their new CEO, describes what the…
The vital role of humus
After a wet winter, Steve Holloway, Soil Fertility Specialist with Soil Fertility Services, considers what…
The unknown offers a new approach
Feed the soil to nurture new thinking in farming, suggests Grant James, business development manager…
Old-Fashioned Farming with Modern Technology
I first encountered this definition of Regenerative Farming about a year ago, and it struck…
It’s 2030, so how have we done?
Tom Allen-Stevens travels forward to 2030 and imagines what prospects agri-tech pioneers will have. In…
Labour pains push robotic pickers
Labour shortages are driving fruit and veg producers to examine robotic solutions. Tech Farmer attends…
Industry-leading Research in Robotics and Automation
Based in the Lincolnshire countryside, a 10-minute drive out of the city, the Lincoln Institute…
Flash, crackle, pop
Concentrated light technology has passed proof of concept as a form of weed control and…
Sustainability and Technology Magazine Sponsor
Lloyds Bank are headline sponsor of Direct Driller Technology Magazines. Supporting our aim to help UK farmers adopt more technology and become more sustainable. Creating a unique free resource for farmers during their transition from BPS to the new SFI schemes. Our technology and sustainability editions would not have happened without the support of Lloyds Bank.