Agriculture is a very critical factor when it comes to economic growth and development, as acknowledged by the Worldbank . Projections from the Open Access Government website , providing up-to-date analyses of different fields say that based on the rate of our current population growth, estimated that by 2050, the agricultural sector will have to produce 70% more than what it is currently producing or the world will go hungry.
This has led to the adoption of tactics such as smart farming, which connotes the use of modern technology like Blockchain in farming practices. The agricultural sector is in dire need of innovations and new ideas if it is going to be able to meet the challenge that our increased population poses.
Where the problem lies
Once the grown food leaves the hands of the farmer and the farm, it passes through several supply chains and intermediaries before finally getting to the consumer. It is at this point that most people want to know where the food they are about to consume has been, to determine its safety and sterility.
This is one of the significant use cases of blockchain technology in agriculture. Walmart has been able to implement this in its stores, with the help of IBM, to use blockchain technology to trace food items, in real-time.
Food production
By 2050 there is an estimation that the human population will grow to 9.6 billion people; therefore, there will be a need for a higher rate of food production. To increase food production, the agricultural sector has already started implementing the use of IoT devices – following smart farming practices.
These devices are used to monitor food yield, which then generates data to assist the farmers, to make better decisions about the growth of crops.
Weather crisis
Every farmer battles with unpredictable weather conditions throughout the year, sometimes with a weather that is too hot or with a cloudy day that turned into a lightning storm. Continue reading…