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the australian farmer
Internet of Things The internet of things (IoT) de- scribes the interconnected net- work of devices that contains sensors with data processors – constantly collecting, analys- ing, and transmitting data. The IoT devices can be controlled through an app on a smart- phone. Farmers can constantly monitor the state of crops, soil moisture and nutrients, and exact need for fertiliser, pesticides, water, or livestock health and movement, among others. Monitoring of anom- alies along the crop growth or livestock health allows farmers to reach optimal efficiency and reduce the risk of unexpected economic losses. At another level, IoT devices can be used to operate tractors for cultiva- tion, spraying and harvesting. IoT-enabled livestock manage- ment systems help monitor the location, temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, readiness to mate, and grazing pattern of animals in real-time on a smartphone. A large amount of data, also known as “big data”, aggregated through multiple devices, can be utilised to pre- dict diseases, pests, inputs, and yield, thereby making more in- formed decisions in a timely manner. For example, an apple and pear grower (Maurice Silverstein) in Shepparton East Orchard of Australia imple- mented the Internet-of-things (IoT) that connects all physical
In greenhouse farming, IoT devices offer real-time informa- tion on temperature, lighting, humidity, soil condition, etc. which are difficult, if not pos- sible, to receive manually. With IoT connected smartphone, a single farmer can manage a large field while sitting on the other side of the world. Given the re- cent issues of labour cost and availability, IoT implementation offers promising opportunities to Australian farmers for reshap- ing conventional business oper- ations. Many farmers across the world, in countries such as the USA and the UK as well as Europe, have already started benefitting from IoT devices in farm operations. However, our research at CQUniversity shows that lack of investment, aware- ness, and training are among the key impediments to the adoption of this cutting-edge technology in the Australian farming system.
devices through the internet and the data between these devices are regularly shared. At Shepparton East Orchard, this IoT connected system supports irrigation efficiency by receiving real-time information on soil moisture, the need for irrigation in a specific part of the farm, and the need for fertilisers and pesticides, thus vastly increas- ing farm productivity and per- formance. A case study of Joe Loewith and Sons Ltd. Farms in Ontario Canada show that the application of IoT based smart farming technologies has sig- nificantly augmented farm pro- ductivity including tracking of animal health, digitally driven animal birth, timely disease con- trol, and efficient crop manage- ment. Another case study on a rice farm in Suphan Burin Prov- ince of Thailand confirms the outstanding outcomes of IoT de- vices in rice farming operations.
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