In recent years, production, business and work models around the world have experienced a significant digitalization process that has allowed them to adapt to new demands and ways of life. However, at a time when technology is the basis of everything we know, making the most of the opportunities offered by the market is only possible with a true digital transformation and, for this, artificial intelligence (AI) has become an indispensable element.
Certainly, artificial intelligence has come into our lives to change what we have known until now, and even when we thought that its use will only benefit large cities, the truth is that its impact on rural development and in agricultural businesses is becoming increasingly evident.
Many rural entrepreneurs have decided to use the AI algorithms to carry out their activities in the field, and the results of their implementation are, undoubtedly, very positive. Now, we are going to analyze the areas in which this beneficial impact is appreciated and the main tools used to achieve it:
a) Crop and soil monitoring: Understanding the interactions between crop growth and the surrounding environment is essential to make adjustments and improve their well-being. While soil quality and crop maturity were traditionally determined by human observation, innovative processes are now being used to provide greater accuracy. There are, for example, certain drones (UAVs) capable of capturing aerial images and processing data to create intelligent monitoring of crop conditions, as well as making accurate yield predictions.
b) Crop disease detection: AI is also particularly useful for maintaining crop health. In fact, there are many methods to automate the detection of plant pests and diseases based on a variety of classification, detection and image segmentation methods. Drones such as WingtraOne can detect and quantify crop health problems early on, helping to reduce input costs and increasing yields in the field.
c) Livestock health monitoring: Animals are another important element for rural entrepreneurs. For that reason, there are also some AI tools designed to track and analyze the behaviour of livestock. CattleEye is an example of a monitoring platform that uses aerial cameras and computer vision algorithms to detect the health of livestock. In addition, its monitoring systems are able to notify farmers as soon as a problem is observed among their animals.
d) Broader audience: Powerful digital marketing tools provided by AI can help rural entrepreneurs to identify their target audience, personalize their message and optimize their marketing strategy. This not only allows them to adapt to new forms of business, but also to compete with their urban counterparts on equal terms.
With all these utilities, it is clear that AI increases the competitiveness of rural businesses, generates greater optimisation of farm work and, the most important, improves sustainability. Precise monitoring and early detection of problems allows rural entrepreneurs to save resources such as water, energy and fertilizers, as well as to generate more sustainable and higher quality crops. Therefore, AI invites us to move towards a greener and more innovative world, where rural areas can unlock new opportunities and create a more prosperous future.