The power of precision farming

What makes precision farming important for future farming?

Jesper Riber Nielsen, Director, SEGES Innovation P/S, points out six main reasons why precision farming is important now and in the future.

• Increased efficiency: Precision farming techniques allow farmers to optimise their use of resources such as fertilisers and pesticides. By precisely targeting inputs based on specific crop needs, farmers can reduce wastage and improve resource efficiency, leading to cost savings and environmental benefits.
• Enhanced productivity: Precision farming enables farmers to gain valuable insights into their fields, including soil conditions, moisture levels, and crop health. This information empowers them to make data-driven decisions, such as adjusting irrigation schedules or applying treatments only where necessary, ultimately boosting crop productivity and quality.
• Environmental sustainability: With growing concerns about the environmental impact of agriculture, precision farming offers a way to minimise negative effects. By using precise application methods, farmers can reduce the use of chemical inputs and protect water resources. Additionally, optimising resource allocation helps to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to a more sustainable agricultural system.

By adopting precision farming practices and leveraging advanced technologies, farmers can optimise their operations, mitigate risks, and contribute to a more sustainable and resilient food production system for future generations.” – Jesper Riber Nielsen, Director, SEGES Innovation P/S

• Risk management: Precision farming provides farmers with valuable tools for risk assessment and mitigation. Through weather monitoring and predictive analytics, farmers can anticipate and respond to adverse weather conditions, pests, or diseases, minimising crop losses and maximising yields. This proactive approach to risk management is essential for long-term farm sustainability.
• Economic viability: By optimising inputs and increasing productivity, precision farming can enhance the economic viability of farming operations. By reducing production costs, improving yield consistency, and accessing valuable market data, farmers can make informed decisions that lead to improved profitability and long-term business sustainability.
• Data-driven insights: Precision farming generates vast amounts of data, which, when properly analysed, can provide valuable insights into crop performance, field variability, and operational efficiency. Farmers can leverage this information to gain a deeper understanding of their operations, identify trends and patterns, and make informed decisions that drive continuous improvement and innovation.

The good example from Denmark

More than 90 % of Denmark’s agricultural land is managed with digital tools for crop- and cultivation planning ¹. In 2022, precision technology was, to some extent, used for cultivation of 76 % of the Danish agricultural land ². Jacob Sig, owner of the farm SN Agro, is one of the digital farmers. At SN Agro, they are known for their diversified agricultural operations spanning 900 hectares of land, including potatoes, barley, grass seeds, and organic oats. They have found great value in using the precision farming tool CropManager by SEGES Innovation. Take a look at the video below.

Using CropManager, the programme for precision farming, SN Agro has streamlined their agricultural practices, reduced their environmental footprint, and optimised resource allocation. CropManager’s data-driven insights have enabled them to make informed decisions, resulting in higher yields and reduced costs.

For me, it provides a really, really significant value that we have this technology, and at our farm we want to be some of the best in using it. And CropManager is a part of that. It makes perfect sense for us to use it, since we can see both an economic potential, a positive environmental impact, and a positive climate effect.”- Jacob Sig, SN Agro, Denmark.

Empowering farmers through collaboration

SEGES Innovation is a private, independent, non-profit research and development organisation and the leading agricultural knowledge and innovation centre in Denmark. We offer solutions for the agriculture and food sector of tomorrow.

SEGES Innovation’s partnership with farmers is crucial in developing practical digital solutions that address real-world challenges in the agricultural sector. By actively engaging with farmers, SEGES Innovation can understand their needs, aspirations, and concerns, leading to the creation of CropManager and other digital products.