ABSTRACT
This chapter sets the stage by exploring the intrinsic limitations and challenges embedded within traditional farming practices. It delves into the foundational aspects of conventional agriculture, highlighting its resource-intensive nature, susceptibility to climate fluctuations, heavy reliance on manual labor, and the dearth of data-driven decision-making. The chapter accentuates the economic strains and market volatility faced by farmers while underscoring the critical issues of land degradation and biodiversity loss. Within this context, the principles of smart farming emerge as a beacon of innovation and transformative potential. The chapter unpacks the essence of smart farming, elucidating its core principles aimed at revolutionizing agricultural methodologies. Additionally, it provides a comprehensive overview of the diverse set of technologies under the smart farming umbrella, encompassing the smart farming cycle and auxiliary technologies that augment its efficacy.
Furthermore, the chapter navigates through critical considerations such as cybersecurity and privacy concerns pertinent to the integration of IoT and AI in agriculture. It explores the emerging techniques in smart farming, ranging from hydroponics and vertical farming to the application of cutting-edge technologies like phenotyping, aerial imaging, precision livestock farming, and blockchain. Each technique is dissected to reveal its role in advancing the efficiency, sustainability, and resilience of modern agricultural practices. This chapter also serves as an essential primer, unraveling the intricate tapestry of traditional farming’s limitations while illuminating the promising landscape of smart farming. It lays a solid foundation for subsequent chapters by providing a panoramic view of the challenges, principles, technologies, and emerging trends that shape the transformative journey toward a more efficient, sustainable, and technologically empowered agriculture sector.
