The 21st century has witnessed a transformative era in agriculture, driven by advancements in technology and automation. The concept of autonomous agriculture, often referred to as “smart farming” or “precision agriculture,” leverages cutting-edge technologies to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of agricultural practices (Smith, 2020). This chapter explores into the role of the Internet of Things (IoT) in driving water management solutions that play a pivotal role in achieving sustainable agriculture in this age of autonomy.
1.1 Importance of Autonomous Agriculture
Autonomous agriculture is essential for modernizing agriculture. By utilizing cutting-edge technologies like automation, drones, and sensors, it improves sustainability and efficiency. Farmers can reduce resource waste and increase productivity by making informed decisions based on real-time data on weather, crop health, and soil conditions. Tasks like planting, harvesting, and pest control can be automated to reduce labour shortages and operating costs. Additionally, self-sufficient farming promotes environmental sustainability by using less water, fertilizer, and pesticides, which reduces pollution and minimizes soil degradation. It also helps farmers become more resilient to climate change by giving them the ability to adjust to changing circumstances.
The use of drones for plant disease detection is highlighted as a viable solution to avoid yield losses (Chin, 2023). In order to maximize crop yield and quality while lowering costs, agricultural mobile robots are also said to employ navigation strategies (Umar, 2021). It has been suggested that early stages of insect pest development can be accurately detected by using deep learning algorithms and stereo camera sensors mounted on robots (Hammed, 2023). For early forecasting and dynamic monitoring of pests and diseases at the national level, an automated system integrating data from multiple sources is developed (Yingying, 2020). Research on cutting back on pesticide and water use while enhancing soil nutrient utilization is made easier with the introduction of a polyculture farming simulator (IEEE, 2022).
Autonomous agriculture signifies a paradigm shift in the way we approach farming. It's more than just a buzzword; it's a necessity. With a rapidly growing global population, the world is grappling with the challenge of ensuring food security for all. Additionally, climate change and its unpredictable consequences pose serious threats to agricultural productivity. In this context, autonomous agriculture emerges as a beacon of hope (Smith, Jones, & Brown, 2021).
By integrating automation, data analytics, and real-time monitoring, autonomous agriculture addresses key challenges such as resource optimization, cost-efficiency, and, most importantly, sustainability. IoT technologies are at the forefront of this agricultural revolution, connecting various devices, sensors, and machinery to collect, process, and analyse data, which, in turn, enables precision decision-making (Brown & Johnson, 2019).
To sum up, self-sufficient farming improves farming's sustainability, productivity, and adaptability while tackling issues facing the industry and bolstering supply of food worldwide.