Introduction
- Precision agriculture (PA) is a concept based upon observing, measuring and responding to field variability in crops or in aspects of animal rearing.
- The first official definition of precision agriculture came from the US House of Representatives in 1997, which identified precision agriculture as “an integrated information- and production-based farming system that is designed to increase long-term, site-specific and whole farm production efficiency, productivity and profitability while minimizing unintended impacts on wildlife and the environment” (US House of Representatives, 1997, Bill No. H.R.2534).
- This definition emphasizes management strategy using information technology and highlighting the improvements on production while reducing environmental impacts.
- It is important to mention that precision agriculture could be implemented not only to cropping systems, but also to animal industries, fisheries, forestry.
- Some defined PA as an information technology applied to agriculture (Lowenberg-DeBoer and Boehlje, 1996)
- Among others, the simplest description of precision agriculture is a way to “apply the right treatment in the right place at the right time” (Gebbers and Adamchuk,
- 2010, p. 829)
- Precision agriculture and the application of information technologies, together with production experience could lead to: optimization of production efficiency and quality; minimization of environmental impact and risk
- In recent years, precision farming is evolving and today is defined as “an environment friendly system solution that optimizes product quality and quantity while minimizing cost, human intervention and the variation caused by unpredictable nature” (Gebbers and Adamchuk, 2010).
- Precision agriculture involves the application of technologies and agronomic principles to manage spatial and temporal variation associated with all aspects of agricultural production in order to improve crop performance, optimizing returns on inputs, and environmental quality, reducing environmental impacts.
- In general, Precision farming or precision agriculture is about doing the right thing, in the right place, in the right way, at the right time. Managing crop production inputs such as water, seed, fertilizer etc to increase yield, quality, profit, reduce waste and becomes ecofriendly.
- The intent of precision farming is to match agricultural inputs and practices as per crop and agro-climatic conditions to improve the accuracy of their applications.
- Precision farming distinguishes itself from traditional agriculture by its level of management.
- Instead of managing whole fields as a single unit, management is customized for small areas within fields.
- This increased level of management emphasizes the need for sound agronomic practices.
- Before considering the jump to precision agriculture management, a good farm management system must already be in place.
