World Ag 2024: Technology and Water Conservation Take Center Stage

Innovation in Water Conservation and Sustainable Practices

Conversations regarding water management strategies and drought mitigation were emphasized by presenters, exhibitors, and attendees alike at World Ag this year. The latest drip irrigation systems, micro-sprinklers, and other sustainable irrigation solutions from Netafim and others generated a significant amount of interest from farmers. A few that caught my attention:

• Advancement in precision irrigation systems that reduce labor costs, improve water delivery and reduce water consumption.
• A multitude of soil moisture sensors, sap flow sensors, and climate-based irrigation controllers harnessing the latest AI technology to deliver and control site-specific customized irrigation schedules.
• New technologies for recycling agricultural runoff and filtering systems to harvest and store rainwater.  

All of these innovations focused on maximizing water efficiency and show the rise in data-driven approaches to water management and agriculture. 

The Integration of Technology in Farming Practices

The event was a testament to the growing integration of IoT (Internet of Things) in agriculture with smart farming solutions that monitor, automate, and optimize many aspects of farming.

These advancements in irrigation tools can help farmers optimize water usage by irrigating based on real-time data. Smart farming solutions were on display that allow farmers to monitor, automate, and optimize their fields. The quantity and sophistication of these technologies were a testament to the growing integration of IoT (Internet of Things) in agriculture.

Takeaways from Farmers

While attending the World Ag Expo, it was painfully evident that our farmers are being hit hard by our country's current economic environment. Farmers shared personal stories with our team about their need to reduce costs and drive efficiencies. Input costs remain high while core commodity prices have been declining, creating a challenging landscape for farmers to operate. Combine these challenges with the current interest rates and high cost of capital and you have a very challenging market. Our team is focused on helping farmers solve these challenges through adoption of technology that can improve efficiency, increase yields, and reduce labor. Many of these solutions were built by listening to the needs of our local farmers. Coupling these tools with customized financing tools offered by Netafim help farmers navigate these difficult conditions.

I’m proud of the work that our team is doing and the contributions that they are making at such an important time in the agricultural cycle.