July 17, 2023 | Global Ag Tech Initiative | Source
A study by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) explores the environmental benefits of precision agriculture, emphasizing its potential to enhance sustainability by efficiently using resources like land, water, fuel, fertilizer, and pesticides. Precision agriculture utilizes technologies such as auto guidance, machine section control, variable rate technology, machine and fleet analytics, and precision irrigation. The study reveals significant environmental improvements attributed to precision agriculture, including:
- A 4% increase in crop production.
- A 7% increase in fertilizer placement efficiency.
- A 9% reduction in herbicide and pesticide use.
- A 6% reduction in fossil fuel consumption.
- A 4% reduction in water usage.
These improvements translate into substantial environmental gains, such as conserving 2 million acres of cropland, avoiding 30 million pounds of herbicide, saving 100 million gallons of fossil fuels, and preserving enough water to fill 750,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. Furthermore, the study suggests that broader adoption of precision agriculture could yield even greater benefits, highlighting the importance of government policies, increased farm income, improved infrastructure, and enhanced consumer communication to accelerate adoption.