Throughout history, the primary goal of agriculture has consistently been to generate enough food to sustain humanity. With the world's population projected to exceed 9 billion by 2050, agriculture faces the challenge of increasing productivity by over 50% to meet the growing demand.
Currently, only 70% of Earth's land is suitable for habitation, and half of that is already under cultivation. Expanding cultivation further could exacerbate biodiversity loss. Agriculture is already implicated in threatening the survival of 24,000 out of 28,000 evaluated species. Hence, enhancing crop yields on existing arable land seems more prudent.
Over the last century, agricultural productivity has surged significantly. For instance, examining corn grain yield evolution in the US reveals a steady rise since the late 1930s, mainly due to hybrid breeds and later advancements like mechanization and chemical inputs. This progress has enabled producing the same crop amount as in 1961 on just 30% of the farmland.
However, global regions vary in their adoption and yield levels of these advancements. To achieve the 2050 food production target, a widespread adoption of successful methods seems imperative.
Yet, this transition isn't straightforward. The historic increase in crop yield has incurred substantial environmental costs, including pollution of water sources and significant greenhouse gas emissions. Efficient resource utilization is essential to mitigate these impacts while achieving sustainable productivity goals.
Complex factors influencing crop growth contribute to inefficiencies. Weather variations affect crop performance, while soil properties and management decisions impact nutrient availability. Precision in timing actions and adapting to crop dynamics are crucial for optimal resource utilization.
Moreover, large-scale farming practices contribute to resource wastage. Treating entire fields uniformly, rather than addressing specific plant needs, leads to overuse of inputs like fertilizers and pesticides. Adopting precision agriculture, leveraging advanced technologies for data collection, analysis, and site-specific treatment, offers a solution. By tailoring actions to individual field conditions, this approach maximizes yield while minimizing environmental impact.
