The Role of Cloud Computing in IoT Agriculture
Cloud computing and IoT agriculture terms seem not familiar to farmers. However, it is also essential for agriculture enthusiasts to understand cloud computing in IoT agriculture. Well, it all began when agriculture underwent a dramatic transformation in recent years due to technological advances, particularly in developing countries such as the Netherlands and Japan, which have advanced agriculture technology systems. One of the most significant developments in this field is the rise and role of cloud computing in the Internet of Things (IoT) for agriculture.
What Is Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing is a way of delivering computer services over the internet. Cloud computing allows users to access data and applications from anywhere, at any time, using any device with an internet connection. This can provide several benefits, including reduced costs, increased efficiency, and improved scalability. In some ways, cloud computing can help farmers forecast weather, storing and accessing information to schedule irrigation. According to a BI Intelligence report, 75 million new IoT agriculture devices will be adopted by 2020—a 20% increase each year. Simultaneously, the worldwide precision agriculture market predicts to quadruple in size by 2025, reaching 15.3 billion dollars (up from slightly more than 5 billion dollars in 2016).
Cloud Computing IoT Is Different from SaaS
If you think the working process of cloud computing in IoT is similar to SaaS (Software as a Service), then you need to pay more attention to them. SaaS is a delivery model for software applications, while IoT refers to the technology used to connect physical objects and enable them to collect and exchange data. Farmers can use SaaS and IoT to provide tools to manage and optimize their operations, but they are different.
Read Also: Why AgriTech Can Aid and Accelerate Southeast Asia Agriculture
Four Ways to Advance Agriculture with IoT
Limited workforce and human ability to track and analyze are the concerns why this century needs cloud computing. Let's say a human cannot predict the weather, plantation humidity, and temperature. In the same way, this problem comes quickly, making it impossible for one human mind to process everything simultaneously. However, all the information must be processed in time to avoid crop failure and make plantation conditions more complex than expected.
#1 Elevate Agriculture Standardization
Have you ever thought why there are countries that don't have wide open land but can produce bigger crops? The answer is simple. They apply IoT agriculture technology to overcome limitations and manage their land. In other words, technology can be standardized to advance agricultural products further, especially in developing countries. United States, Japan, Germany, and France have a high farming standardization system. No wonder they have high farmers' income, agricultural effectiveness, and rural development.
Agricultural standardization is focused on principles such as simplification, unification, coordination, optimization, etc. Safety is our top priority based on science, technology, and practical experience. Agricultural standardization aims to protect the health, safety, and well-being of people and the environment by specifying agricultural planting, processing, management, and sale activities.
#2 Allow Remote Monitoring and Control
The advantage of cloud computing in IoT agriculture is that the system can run without an internet connection. Farmers in mountainous areas or hard to reach the internet can manage their plantations remotely without any connection problems.
In addition, a data analytics tool can help companies keep track of their digital operations in real-time based on the data collected by their devices. For example, if the sensors indicate low soil moisture levels, the farmer can activate the irrigation system to water the crops.
#3 Take Data Driven Decisions
Generally, data driven decisions are needed rather than assumptions, guesswork, or personal experience. It is also more informed and rational decisions, rather than relying on gut instincts or biases—for instance, conventional agriculture. Farmers usually generalize the dose of pesticide spraying for all trees. Also, only provide water from irrigation based on whether the soil is dry. Far from that, the composition of the ground and microorganisms must also be able to live to balance the fertility and growth of plants.
#4 Enhance Collaboration and Traceability
Cloud computing allows farmers and agricultural organizations to share data and collaborate with others, including farmers, researchers, and agribusinesses. Plus, IoT agriculture will enable farmers and sellers to share accurate information about the crop - all stages are integrated with input from all stakeholders. As such, farmers can support the development of new technologies and practices in the agriculture industry, leading to improved crop standards, as the first point mentioned about agriculture standardization.
IoT Technology for Connected Plantation
Avirtech BIOTA is an easy-to-use interface that allows seamless coordination from field monitoring to management decision-making via integrated dashboard analytics and AI (Artificial Intelligence) recommendation. BIOTA provides real-time data on the environment to see changes in plant species, soil type, and other plantation components. Integrating AI and IoT in the BIOTA allows monitoring changes over time. Undoubtedly, it is better for a team's safety and responds quickly to any unwanted activity in plantations without time-consuming and perilous field visits during monitoring.
Final Thoughts
Cloud computing with IoT is a game-changer for agriculture methods. It offers solutions to traditional monitoring practices that are time-consuming and non-quantitative, with slow responses. To support the digitalization process in agricultural-producing countries in Southeast Asia, Avirtech provides cloud computing sensor tools to remotely control any changes in soil, water, and plants.
