When Computers Learn to Feed Humans.
The Origins of Agriculture
According to the Webster Merriam dictionary, Agriculture is defined as: the science, art, or practice of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock and in varying degrees the preparation and marketing of the resulting products. Surprisingly, Agriculture has only developed within the last 15,000 to 10,000 years with modern homo sapiens existing for over 200,000 years and language only developing in the past 5000 years. Without the rise of agriculture, there would be no language and much less civil society.
The Origins of Computers
According to Dictionary.com, a computer is a programmable electronic device designed to accept data, perform prescribed mathematical and logical operations at high speed, and display the results of these operations. Mainframes, desktop and laptop computers, tablets, and smartphones are some of the different types of computers.
Computers have only existed in the modern world, far behind compared to agriculture but this new technology allows us to tackle exponentially larger problems and create them too. Each year, new developments and waves of knowledge crash upon society, and new problems arise. One of the common fears in scientific dystopias is Machine learning that is unparalleled to that which we have currently, which rise up against their creators.
What’s Machine Learning?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_uwKZIAeM0
Machine learning is defined as the study of computer algorithms that automatically improve themselves through simulated experience. It is a branch of Artificial Intelligence and uses algorithms to extrapolate information through completing tasks which are not programmed explicitly to be performed.
Humans have been trying to replicate themselves through inanimate objects for the longest of times. From sculptures to golems, homunculus to automatons and robots and they’ve finally created something potentially even smarter than any individual or collective group of humans. It can be terrifying when your creations overpower you and you can no longer control it. But in the meantime, you can learn from it and wonder about its
How AI tackles Agricultural problems
In order for food to get to your table, it must go through many different obstacles. It is hard to regulate the following in an open field as a human.
- Amount of Sun
- Amount of Water
- Temperature
- Weather
- Pests
- Diseases
- Other plants/weeds
- Pollutants
- Lack of Nutrients
Farmers can overcome these with AI by predicting the weather forecast and therefore growing crops that are better adapted to certain obstacles.
AI can also detect pests, diseases, and competitive plants or weeds that might hinder the growth of the plant.
AI can also determine the symptoms of plant sickness and the lack of certain nutrients in the soil.
Hydroponic farms take this a step further by controlling all of these variables by having their own light source and determining which stage of plant grows best with which type of lights. Also, it saves water and reduces the pollutants on the environment and can assure plants to be organic without them. AI can also determine new strains or genetic combinations in plants that have resistances to diseases and weather patterns.
Keeping small farms functional and technologically advanced is important because smaller farms produce over 70% of the world’s crops and contribute to more than just food production.
Furthermore, with agriculture becoming less and less popular, Agricultural Robots can begin to take place of these workers who are not returning back to the profession.
What the future of machine learning looks like in terms of agriculture
There are many different examples of these solutions in current markets but the technology is only getting more advance and one-day, agriculture can be completely run by computers and machines without human supervision.
In the meantime, we need programmers, and engineers to further advance the agricultural industry into one that is sufficient and sustainable and not forget about the importance of agriculture in modern society.
