Precision Farming: The future of cultivation

Abstract

According to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the arable land per person has reduced from 0.38 hectares to 0.23 hectares from 1970 to 2000. It is expected to decline to 0.15 hectares by the year 2050. Excess use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has a detrimental effect on the environment, reducing soil fertility and polluting the air and water. Extreme weather conditions like cyclones and droughts are increasing in the past years due to climate change. Water scarcity is posing a great challenge, and it is going to worsen in the coming years. United Nations have estimated that by 2050, the farmers have to ramp up the food production by 70 percent. The present challenge is to produce more food with fewer resources & extreme conditions.