The UN report on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World shows that 811 million people worldwide starved in 2020. The same report predicts that around 118 million people around the globe suffer from chronic hunger.
Some innovators are aware of this situation, and hence they are trying to leverage new technologies to address it. They are exploring machine learning (ML) and other AI-infused technologies to ensure global food security while improving the lives of Farmers. In short, new inventions are being launched to strengthen the agriculture sector worldwide.
With a total of 159.7 million hectares of farming land (according to the 2018 World Bank collection of development indicators), over 60% of the Indian population’s lives depend on agriculture, which makes up about 17% of the GDP in India.
The United States, which has the largest arable land area globally, possesses 2.02 million farms and contributes only 0.6% to its economy. The country’s gross cash farm income is dominated by big farms, while smaller family farms struggle to survive.
Food security is one of the reasons for smaller family farms not being able to produce enough to feed more people beyond their families or communities. They lack technological solutions to monitor soil conditions, improve livestock management, and streamline operations. Without a systematized way and expert guidance, farmers may be unable to adapt in time.
AI solutions
Dimitra, a leading agriculture software platform, is one of the voices that is promoting data-driven farming. Aiming to improve smallholder farmers’ productivity with the power of information, the AgTech company is solving the world food storage, improving food safety and addressing food security issues.
Its two main ongoing projects are working towards supporting small farmers.
The international company is also helping 1.3 million Indian farms, using satellites to evaluate crop performance, supplement data with farmer observations and IoT soil sensors. The use of the ML algorithm helps farmers make better decisions about how to prepare, sow and harvest crops, and get them to market.
It’s not a problem only in India but also all over the world. Dimitra is deploying consultants in addition to data.
