The applications of intelligent agriculture and animal husbandry in agricultural production could bring great savings of resources and consequently a drastic reduction of costs. Even more, the use of alternative feed is proposed as an environmentally friendly solution but also at the cost of production.
Reduction of irrigation costs by 20.3% on average (in some cases the fall can reach up to 33.76%), reduction of fertilization costs by 21.9% (in some cases it can reach 40.84 %), and a reduction in the cost of medicines by 33.72% and a reduction of 20.18% in the cost of energy consumption. These are the results of the implementation of intelligent agriculture advisors by the GAIA Sense (Neuropublic) system, an EU co-financed program which has been piloted in Member States such as Greece, Spain and Portugal.
This intelligent agriculture program was piloted on estates in many areas and in different crops. In these estates, at specific points, telemetry-meteorological stations are installed with special sensors, so that there is a continuous picture of the conditions prevailing in the field. What is the temperature, how much is the humidity, how much is the evaporation-perspiration and other important elements for the evolution of each crop.
At the same time, a soil sample is taken so that it can be examined exactly what its needs for fertilization are and that there is no waste, while data are also received from satellite in order to have a complete picture of the needs for irrigation, fertilization and plant protection. For each estate depending on the location and the crop that is applied, a specific recipe emerges that will bring the best possible results with the least possible use of resources and thus reducing costs.
Data technology exist. The difficult thing is to convince producers to work differently and cultivate differently from what they used to do for so many years.
Similar applications can be caused in livestock with a reduction of production costs up to 30%, when 70% of the cost of a livestock unit is animal feed. If you ask a breeder how much his animal eats, he will answer you, I open the silo and throw food. This means high costs from feed waste, worse animal health, but possibly worse quality for the product produced. Because the productive animal must eat what it should, at the right time and in the right quantities.
So there is technology to implement “precision breeding” systems, systems for the timely prediction of diseases so as to reduce the need for drugs and antibiotics. There are also environmental control systems, design and creation of bioclimatic livestock buildings, so that the animals live better but also reduce energy consumption and emissions.
From certain groups of algae are grown for use in food, animal feed, medicinal products and cosmetics. Plenty of protein, lipids and carbohydrates can accumulate in microalgae, making them extremely nutritious. The further development of the cultivation and use of microalgae in animal feed can have enormous commercial benefits. Insects are therefore suggested as an alternative source of protein and amino acids. So far, eight species of insects have been authorized by the EU to be used in the diet of fish, poultry and pigs, although insects are a natural component of the diet of farm animals when they are in the natural environment.
In addition, the breeding of insects requires a small area, little water and limited energy for heating and air conditioning.
