Some experts predict arable land per person will shrink by two thirds by 2050. To combat this, Michigan students are being trained in “smart” agriculture.
Researchers believe smart agriculture is a promising solution to food production challenges as land becomes scarce because of climate change and water shortages. It involves methods like vertical farming and urban gardens, combined with technologies using sensors, drones and AI to improve productivity and yield.
Sara Masoud is a professor at Wayne State’s College of Engineering who leads a program that trains students in smart agriculture.
“One of the options that we are putting together in my lab in order to expose the students to is something called a hydroponic system, and then the idea is that if you don’t have access to good soil to grow your plants, you can be growing your plants in, for example, water,” Masoud said.
Critics of smart farming say automation could displace farm workers and, along with the high cost of technologies like drones and AI, leave small-scale or low-income farmers behind.
As of 2023, about 68% of large crop farms in the United States use precision agriculture technologies, which are needed for smart farming.
