In the latest episode of Unlocking 5G in Wales host Carwyn Jones talks to Michael Powell, of Monmouthshire County Council, and Raglan based farmer Tim Smith, about how 5G can be used to strengthen the agriculture industry.
5G infrastructure can offer farmers deeper insights into their businesses. Today’s farms are leveraging a wide range of devices to help growers minimise operation costs, increase yields and provide better visibility in an unpredictable environment.
An estimated 12 million agricultural sensors are forecasted to be installed globally by 2023. 5G is expected to take things up a notch by supporting significantly faster internet speeds – as much as 100 times faster than 4G – which will enable machine learning and near real-time communication between devices and the cloud.
5G will open up a wide range of enhanced technologies to farmers. For example, field conditions can be more accurately monitored through a larger network of data-collecting sensors. Autonomous drones can scan crops using AI to identify weeds and apply pesticides with precision. More crucially, farmers can better understand their water consumption and apply adjustments to irrigation systems based on accurate data.
Agricultural equipment manufacturers can also benefit from automated farming processes enabled by next-generation 5G solutions, remotely collecting and analysing rich data from their machines and terrain.
