Page 14 - Reaching-New-Heights-magazine-2019

SOUTHPORT SUPPORTS

PRECISION AGRICULTURE

“Once this technology is adopted and used correctly,

it can provide many benefits.”

T he world population continues to grow. Farmers
must upgrade their equipment and continuously
learn new methods of production, and research-
ers must innovate in order to meet the needs of an estimat-
ed world population of 9.7 Billion by 2050.
To combat this, farmers have begun to look toward an Southport is located in an agricultural community in the
important, growing topic in the agriculture community, heart of Manitoba, and is also an economic driver in the
Precision Agriculture. area. This makes Southport an ideal location for an agricul-
ture-focused workshop. Southport has hosted three Manito-
Precision agriculture involves adopting innovative technol-
ogy to observe and record crop and field data to address ba Precision Agriculture Workshops since 2016.
the challenge of optimizing farming production while also The one-day annual workshop features a variety of presen-
minimizing waste. tations from key individuals in the agriculture industry from
across the province. Participants have the opportunity to
While technology will never be able to replicate the complex
decisions farmers are required to make on a daily basis, hear from, ask questions and network with industry experts,
it could help make these decisions much easier. Artificial as well as the other participants from various companies
intelligence or AI, and remotely piloted aircraft systems or in the field throughout the day. Participants also take time
RPAS, have the capacity of analyzing huge amounts of data to look through case studies, and discuss the challenges
in a short period of time. The technology can then use the and benefits of adopting precision agriculture technology
data to suggest the best course of action. during presentations, networking breaks and throughout the
evening networking event. Those in attendance are usually a
Today’s farmers have access to a wealth of data, that many combination of agronomists, farmers, educators and provin-
people often do not know what to do with it. As growers cial employees.
adopt precision agriculture practices, new technology will
continue to emerge. The next large advancement will be in In the most recent workshop, the focus was on RPAS tech-
the use of AI. nology and the benefits that it can provide. Other topics
often covered in these workshops include RPAS regulations,
When combined with current GPS and satellite technology, aerial mapping, innovations in agriculture software and
new technology will potentially have the ability to use data programs, technology advancements in soil testing and crop
to predict the best time to plant, to predict pest and disease sampling, and the challenges and benefits of adopting preci-
outbreaks before they occur, and to offer in-field manage- sion agriculture practices and technology.
ment that could potentially offer yield predictions prior Precision agriculture technology will allow farmers and re-
to harvest.
searchers to increase yields, suppress disease and innovate
Southport took note of these innovations occuring in the their current practices and procedures in order to earn a
agriculture industry and saw a need for a workshop where living and help in feeding the world. Southport will continue
those in the agriculture industry could gather annually to to look for opportunities in this industry, specific to training
discuss the latest in precision agriculture technology. and fostering innovation in our community.

14 | Southport: Reaching New Heights