Everyone talks about «innovation in agriculture» and many relate it to some concept that has to do with digital, information technologies, interconnected ... but what does it really mean?

Precision farming

Precision agriculture started in the XNUMXs with technologies born in the United States. Is based on the direct field monitoring through data collection made through microprocessors introduced since the 80s and to the GPS technology born in the 90s and that allows “spatialize” the collected data (connect to the detection point) .

Agriculture 4.0

The concept of agriculture 4.0 se refers directly to the historical evolution of agriculture from 1.0 to 4.0 that took place in the last hundred years. It is based on the fact that precision agriculture will add a more widespread use of the Internet., the use of computerized processing techniques , an increasingly accessible and shared data management and the use of specific monitoring technologies in the field.

The true turning point for the expansion of agriculture 4.0 dates back to the so-called 2020 tax credit , a national legislation that establishes that only agricultural machines equipped with “technology 4.0” are included in the “4.0” assets and can enjoy the 50% contribution (compared to 10% for other agricultural machinery).

Digital farming

Digital agriculture refers to the so-called data farming . That is the confluence of any information collected in the field that helps the entrepreneur to:

• prepare all the documentation Necessary for comply with legal requirements ;
• make decisions based on information gathered in the field (the so-called “data-driven decision”);
• guide innovation in the company (the so-called “data-driven innovation”).

IoT

Represents the Internet of Things and is based on the fact that today there are a number of devices that:

• may place in the field ;
• they are self-powered (with photovoltaic panels or long-life batteries);
• are geolocated (they know where they are and are able to communicate it);
• are equipped with many sensors that constantly generate and detect a series of data (geological, environmental, context, operational ...);
• can transfer data over the Internet to servers capable of store and process them ;
• they have a relatively low cost .