Digital Farming

From seeding to harvest, farmers today face many challenges: from the impact of climate change, diminishing natural resources and limited arable land, to population growth effects, global competition, greater societal interest in farming practices and legislation changes. Digital farming is a smart, proven, sustainable and cost-effective way to help farmers optimize crop production, while driving the positive transformation of agriculture to address global challenges now and in the future.

What is digital farming?

Digital farming, also known as Digital Agriculture, Agriculture 4.0, Smart Farming, Smart Agriculture or electronic farming (e-farming) is the use of digital technologies in the agricultural sector, including sensors, satellite imagery, drones, GPS mapping, analytical tools and artificial intelligence (AI) to optimize crop production. 

Digital farming allows farmers to collect and analyze data on soil quality, crop health, weather patterns, and other variables in real-time, enabling them to make more informed decisions about planting, irrigation, fertilization, and pest and disease control. This data-driven approach helps farmers save time and money, making a more efficient use of crop inputs while measurably improving crop yield and quality. 

What digital farming technologies are used in digital farming? 

Learn more about some of the many digital farming technologies and digital tools that are helping to transform agriculture for the better.

Digital Farming Platforms: 

Digital farming platforms like xarvio^® FIELD MANAGER provide farmers with access to a range of information, tools, and services that can help them manage their farming operations more effectively, sustainably, and profitably. These platforms offer a variety of features, such as real-time weather data, soil analysis, crop monitoring, pest and disease detection, and yield prediction, all of which helps farmers make more informed and timely decisions about their farming practices.

Sensors:  

Sensors are used in digital farming to collect data on soil moisture, temperature, and nutrient levels, as well as plant growth and health. This data is then analyzed to provide farmers with recommendations on irrigation, fertilization, and other inputs to enhance crop performance.

Drones:  

In the farming process, drones are used in digital farming to capture high-resolution images of fields and crops. The data collected through drones can be used to analyze crop health and identify areas of stress or disease early on. Farmers can use drones to also apply inputs such as fertilizer and crop protection with greater precision. 
 

Global Positioning System (GPS) Mapping:  

GPS mapping is used to create detailed maps of fields, enabling farmers to identify areas of variability and make informed decisions about input use and planting. 

Internet of Things (IoT):  

Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a network of interconnected physical devices, vehicles, equipment and other physical objects, which equipped with sensors, software and network connectivity, can collect and exchange data. In digital farming, IoT devices can be used to monitor and control various aspects of agricultural production. For example, smart irrigation systems can adjust watering based on real-time weather and soil conditions, optimizing water usage and reducing waste. 

Machine Learning:  

Machine learning algorithms – key components of digital farming technologies– are used to analyze data from sensors and drones, as well as historical data on weather patterns and crop yields, to provide agronomic recommendations for inputs and planting.  

Artificial intelligence (AI):

Advanced farming approaches use artificial intelligence (AI) in agriculture by applying computer or machine learning from data to bring efficiencies and solutions to farming and the food supply. Supported by AI, farmers can make better informed decisions based on large and complex data sets. For example, AI algorithms used in agriculture, specifically in digital farming, can identify images and patterns in data, and continuously learn from this information, then adjust to make more timely and better agronomic recommendations to optimize crop production for farmers. The performance of these algorithms is also enhanced over time, with the inclusion of new data, for example the incorporation of new sources of field-specific data or hyper local weather information, resulting in faster and more precise agronomic recommendations.

Why is digital farming important to BASF?

Digital farming is important to BASF because it offers farmers a smart, cost effective and sustainable approach to address the challenges they face. By leveraging digital agriculture technology and using real-time data from fields and crops to provide agronomic recommendations, we aim to help farmers increase productivity, optimize crop quality, and reduce waste. This way, farmers can meet the growing demand for food, while ensuring the long-term sustainability of agriculture. 

For centuries, farmers around the world have worked tirelessly to provide food for their families and communities, overcoming challenges such as droughts, shifting weather patterns,  changing consumer preferences and regulatory modifications.  

However, it has become clear that we cannot rely on the agricultural practices of today to meet the needs of a global population that is projected to reach more than 9.5 billion  (United Nations). By 2050, farmers will have to produce as much food as has been eaten in all human history, increasing productivity by 50% using the same amount of arable land (FAO).

Therefore, to sustainably transform agriculture and our food systems, it is necessary to evolve crop production practices – but how? What is the path to a more productive, profitable and sustainable agriculture? 

Digital farming offers farmers a proven, cost-effective and convenient solution to manage the many global challenges they face, now and in the future, while improving crop quality and yield.

In 2021, BASF announced our goal to bring digital technologies to more than 400 million hectares of farmland cumulatively by 2030. Sustainability – Digital Farming (basf.com) To make this ambition a reality, we invest in products from our xarvio^® Digital Farming Solutions that enable our customers to make the most of every hectare across the whole crop production cycle. Furthermore, we encourage the adoption of digital tools that make the transition to climate smart agriculture attractive and achievable to farmers. 

Transforming agriculture and the food systems is a huge undertaking. No one farmer or company can hope to solve all of this. But we at BASF believe that with our skills and resources, and our long-standing connection to farming, we can make – and are making – a major contribution. Because everything we do, we do for the love of farming, the biggest job on Earth. 

What digital agriculture solutions, tools and services does BASF offer for farmers? 

Farmers around the globe are using digital solutions to meet the demands of a changing world. BASF, through xarvio^® Digital Farming Solutions, is at the forefront of the digital transformation of  agriculture, optimizing crop production.  

xarvio^® Digital Farming Solutions products use an advanced crop modelling platform to provide independent, personalized, practical, timely and field-specific agronomic advice.

Learn more about how our products, xarvio^® FIELD MANAGER and xarvio^® HEALTHY FIELDS, consistently delivers measurable benefits for farmers, helping them to produce crops more efficiently, sustainably, and profitably. Explore how the ONE SMART SPRAY weed management system supports farmers around the world to apply herbicides as much as needed, as little as possible.

What is it like to be a digital farmer? Hear directly from our customers.