Data compiled by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2017 bear several trends that directly affect the context of increased demand and production. Among many factors, much has been discussed about the prediction of world population growth, high levels of urbanization and increased life expectancy. These factors contribute to a significant demand for food in 2050, when estimates assume approximately 10 billion people on the planet.
In this context, food production faces even more complex challenges such as climate change and restriction of natural resources, credit, insurance, supplies inbound and crop outbound.
It is not enough to increase productivity – it is necessary to use a more comprehensive approach, involving the whole chain of production and consumption to ensure the safety and profitability of operations.
The adoption of Business Risk Management practices and the use of new technologies, procedures and controls to increase the competitiveness of the agri-food and agroindustry sectors.
Agriculture 4.0 is taking advantage of Information and Communication Technologies, rethinking and redesigning processes along the entire value chain opening possibilities for the generation of a range of innovations for the world of agriculture and food.
This means that agriculture will:
Promote integrated communication.
View and predict the weather conditions for better crop management.
Use sensor-based innovations capable of delivering increasingly accurate data.
Automate various activities in the agri-food and agroindustry sectors.
Monitor and make precise interventions in agricultural production management processes.
Use advanced monitoring, traceability and control systems that inform and ensure food safety and sustainability.
From Cyber-Physical Systems, Internet of Things and Internet Services, the processes of production become increasingly efficient, autonomous and customizable. In addition, it incorporates high-performance computing methods, sensor networks, machine-to-machine communication, mobile device connectivity, cloud computing, analytical methods and solutions to process large volumes of data, and build planning and management decisions.