SMART FARMING: THE FUTURE OF EFFICIENT & SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
By: Courtney Bailey
Tags: Efficiency, Agriculture Technology, Smart Farming, Sustainable Farming, California Cannabis

Giving Tree Farms — A licensed cannabis cultivator in Anderson Valley, CA

Every year the world’s population increases by an average of 1.1%, or about 81 million people. With limited land and resources, and the population growth reluctant to cease, the challenge for farmers has become: How do we produce more with less so we can supply a climbing population?

Amidst every predicament, an innovative revolution finds its way to light. In today’s agricultural world, we call this solution, “Smart Farming.” This data-driven agronomy, or simply put, farming with facts, arms cultivators with the scientific information they need to increase efficiency, quality, and yield through the use of integrated technologies. Cannabis farmers, as well as all crop producers, must do their part in initiating these changes. Adjustments of this nature will not only help a cultivator be successful, but they will also help preserve a positive future for our planet.

The new age of farming requires more than just agricultural knowledge and a passion for cultivation. It now demands additional professional skills to keep up with the evolution of the industry. For California cannabis cultivators specifically, we now must act as data analysts, exploring climate controls, soil readings, and yield reports to better our business operations and transparency; as legal experts, navigating a labyrinth of both local and state regulations; and as accountants, with a strong understanding of our numbers and in-depth knowledge of the cannabis market and price volatility. But don’t let these titles overwhelm you because by acquiring these numerous roles, we can now set ourselves up to make educated predictions and improve upon efficiencies, both in the garden and on the books. These “data-points” feed our profound knowledge of the business, helping us to solve the complex farming issues we find ourselves facing.

By compiling the data via smart farming technologies, such as water sensors, irrigation controls, pH monitors, and satellite imagery, we can begin to form facts about our farming practices. We can see what is working and what isn’t, then mold our current strategies into a more efficient process. Because each farm will have its own unique set of obstacles to overcome, each farm will also have a unique collection of data that is only valuable to that farm itself. With the use of technology-driven data, these cultivators can tailor a solution to their unique challenges and employ the most effective farming strategies. Farmers can now make precise and informed decisions about what their plants need, and with extreme accuracy.

We live in a world where we can dial in our efforts so strategically that our decisions are now made on a per square meter or per plant basis rather than for an entire field. If we are unsure of how to fix a problem, we now have the flexibility to try new methods and monitor the responses each step of the way. We can increase our efficiency by using the sun and natural climate to our advantage, working with the elements instead of paddling upstream, and by only utilizing supplemental means when absolutely necessary. We can become more sustainable by tracking our water usage and maintaining the richness of our soil through the addition of lacking amendments we discover through a lab analysis. Smart farming is how we farmers will continue to grow our success, as business people, cultivators, and members of this earth. It’s how we will increase our efficiency, improve our sustainability, increase our yields, and boost the quality of our cannabis through the meticulous composition of science-backed data.

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