One of the most significant issues worldwide is food insecurity. Approximately 283 million people worldwide encounter acute hunger. But will robots, drones, and other new farming technology resolve this problem? Here’s a glimpse of what agriculture and food security will look like.
Food Demand Increases
The larger the income and population growth, the bigger the food demand. Expect the food demand to intensify as the world’s population reaches around 9.1 billion in 2050, from 7.4 billion in 2016.
To supply these demands, farmers must be given enough support to increase food production by 70% compared to 2007. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, this percentage will meet the needs of the future population.
There is also a prediction that developing countries will expand diets with more protein due to rising global income levels. Preferences more from wheat and grains to legumes. Later, pork, beef, and chicken will be preferred.
Food Trade Will Increase and Contribute to Global Food Security
The international food trade has always been present since the medieval times. Experts believe it to be inevitable because of the differences in climate, population density, agriculture, and food products. But over the past years, such trade between countries has heightened.
The major exporters of agricultural products are North and South America. Recently, imports have also increased in the Middle East, North Africa, Africa, and some parts of Asia.
Expect these trends to intensify over the next few decades, especially with the rising food demand. It will show the growing essence of global trade for the sake of food security.
High-Tech Solutions
Robotics and other high-tech solutions will also become more common in terms of agriculture and food security. While it manages labor issues, it will also create the demand for more jobs requiring technology and agricultural skills.
Drone technology will experience a surge in farm usage. It will generate 100,000 jobs in the United States over the next ten years. Programs like AgriEdge Excelsior will also be popular since data collection will be more critical.
This leap will be short since most machines present already have electronic features that control operations. The only matter that ought to be settled is the legal and regulatory aspects.
Animal Trackers
Smart collars have been in use since 2010, especially in Scotland. Silent Herdsman developed them to track cows’ health and fitness. The device explicitly measures fertility by monitoring continuous movement. The sensor then notifies the farmer that the animal is ready to mate.
Expect more farmers to use animal trackers over the next few decades. Animal trackers for illnesses will also be more popular. Researchers have developed a camera system in Belgium that tracks broiler chickens in sheds.
Climate Change Requires Urgent Attention
One massive hindrance to fulfilling higher food demand is climate change. Countries need to do more to mitigate the effects of climate change. Some recommendations include:
- Remove disincentives to increase sustainability.
- Encourage collaboration on knowledge sharing.
- Promote sustainable farming practices.