VR in agriculture is set to revolutionize the way we farm entirely. There are three main ways in which VR is impacting agriculture – creating simulations, helping farmers identify and fix their problems, and providing a new avenue for outreach.
What Is Virtual Reality In Agriculture
VR has been used for decades in various industries for training and simulations. Despite its existence in other industries, it was only recently introduced to agriculture. These simulations consist of 360-degree videos showing how the agricultural enterprise works, how crops are grown, and how the farm interacts with the environment.
By watching these simulations farmers can pick up a new skill quickly and easily which will help them avoid unnecessary problem areas while they continue to educate themselves on farming practices that they may not know of.
In contrast to the 150,000 AR glasses that were supplied in 2016, it is anticipated that 22.8 billion AR glasses will have been shipped by the year 2022.
The biggest change in agriculture will be created by creating virtual farms so that farmers can view their operations before committing actions to paper. Without seeing the outcome of their actions they will not be able to fully evaluate the costs and benefits of their decisions.
Virtual farms will also be beneficial because they can be updated over time giving farmers a better idea of how certain practices are going to work on a minute by minute basis.
By providing the farmer with this option, he or she can run simulations akin to the video ones without having to invest in equipment and software. By creating a simulation farm, farmers will have all of their needs met for agriculture, training, education, and outreach.
Why Virtual Reality In Agriculture
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Virtual reality is a fast-growing technology that is used by many industries today including agriculture. The agriculture industry has been overlooked by this technology but it will soon be put into use to fix some of the problems that farmers face.
Benefits Of Virtual Reality In Agriculture
The new augmented reality technology is based on artificial intelligence and a virtual environment. It is being used in smart farming to help farmers with their work.
Data analytics is a growing field that uses data to help businesses make better decisions. Virtual training is a way to train employees using simulated environments. Immersive technologies, such as augmented reality, are being used more and more to create virtual worlds that are realistic and interactive.
1. Better Diagnosis
By seeing problems in real time, farmers can be more proactive in finding solutions to those issues. For example, VR can be used to show the farmer where a major issue is occurring and how best to fix it.
This will allow the farmer to better understand why his or her crops are suffering and help them determine the best course of action.
2. Better Farmer Interaction/Outreach
A new raised system was introduced in April 2019 by the Hydroponics System International corporation to support the facilities that needed gutters that weren’t at ground level.
There are many issues that face agriculture today and one of those is lack of engagement from farmers with each other and with the agricultural industry as a whole.
This can be a very isolating career choice and it is common for farmers to not have a close relationship with other farms. This leads to poor communication between farmers and higher rates of infestation.
3. More Hands-On Learning
Virtual reality could help revolutionize the way farmers learn. Instead of sitting in a classroom learning about farming and agriculture, farmers will be able to go hands on with plants through VR. They will not only learn about how to grow crops but also how to handle plants like onions, potatoes, and other vegetables.
4. Better Education For Farmers
Many farmers may not attend college because there were no opportunities for them to receive schooling during their childhood period. Virtual farms that allow the farmer to simulate different processes in a controlled environment would be beneficial for these people.
Farmers could view simulations of different agricultural practices without having to invest in equipment and software since it is already built into the simulation farm.
4. Better Communication Internally
Farmers currently struggle with communicating with one another and as a result, farming is a very closed society. This has caused many problems in the industry where issues go unresolved and farmers do not take necessary precautions to avoid situations that are harmful to them and their plants.
If farmers were able to gain an understanding of the issues facing them, they would be more willing to communicate about those problems and fix them in a way that works for all farms.
5. Better Communication With The Public
To better inform the public about agriculture, farmers will be utilizing VR to communicate through simulations and produce videos to share. This way, both families and farmers can gain a better grasp of how farming works.
A video or simulation will allow them to see exactly how a farmer manages his or her farm from beginning to end and provide them with an understanding of how easy it is for them to make their practices work.
6. Increased Productivity On The Farm
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VR has shown its worth in training agriculture students so that they are better prepared for what it takes to be an agricultural expert. By seeing how to do certain tasks in a simulator, students that are new to farming can get an understanding of how to handle situations that will come up on their farms.
7. Increased Productivity For Farmers
For farmers that are already working, VR can be used on site. This way, farmers will not have to travel into a main city where they could potentially lose money as well as time.
They can utilize the technology with an existing farm so that they can perfect their techniques and work with others who face the same challenges.
8. Increased Productivity For Consumers
For people that shop at large grocery stores, VR will be used to show them how their foods are grown. These simulations will allow consumers a great understanding of how their food is grown and what kind of effects farming has on the environment.
This will eliminate the need for consumers to visit farms, which can be costly and time consuming, as well as cause pollution. By using VR, farmers can still profit and consumers can gain a better understanding of their food.
Risks Of Virtual Reality In Agriculture
The agriculture industry is responsible for the production of food and other crops. The development process of the agriculture sector is complex and involves many educational institutions. The production process of agriculture is constantly evolving and becoming more efficient. The agriculture sector is a vital part of the economy and plays a significant role in the development of the country.
The market for indoor farming technology is expected to reach USD 14.5 billion in 2020 and USD 24.8 billion by 2026, growing at a predicted CAGR of 9.4%. Machine learning is being used in various industries to achieve precision agriculture. The leading countries in this field are making use of free resources to improve their production.
1. Could Be An Alternative To Further Education
Virtual reality could be an alternative to further education. Many farmers would rather invest in technologies that allow them to gain knowledge faster than going through college but traditional agricultural schools have not been able to provide this for all farmers.
Since there are more farms in urban areas, it can be increasingly difficult for agricultural schools to bring their services to these clients.
2. It May Not Stay Popular Long Enough
Virtual reality may not stay popular long enough for most farmers that are still learning the trade. Farmers with more experience may want VR because it will allow them to solve problems faster and provide a better understanding of how the technology works before investing in it.
However, many young farmers may lose interest and move onto other technologies before VR has a chance to provide them with great benefits.
3. It May Be Too Expensive For Farmers
Virtual reality can be expensive for farmers and there is no guarantee that it will be profitable enough for them to make a return on their investments in the technology.
Many farmers experience issues that cost them a lot of money each year, so if they cannot recoup their losses in merchandise or profit, the technology may not be worth the initial investment.
4. It May Be Too Expensive For Consumers
Consumers will also not be willing to purchase the consoles that would allow them to use a virtual reality simulation. The latest iterations of this technology are very expensive and usually bring with them high monthly fees.
This may lead consumers to look for cheaper technologies to gain a better understanding of how their food is grown and how healthy it is without having to pay a lot of money each year.
5. It May Not Provide The Same Kind Of Experience As Working On The Farm
USDA statistics show that in 2016, the average production of tomatoes cultivated hydroponically in greenhouses was 10.59 pounds per square foot, compared to 1.85 pounds per square foot for tomatoes grown conventionally.
Even if virtual reality can provide consumers with an experience, it may not be as good as working on the farm in person. Farmers can use equipment that simulates what the equipment on the farm is doing and provide a great experience for those that visit their farms.
For those that are using VR, it will be difficult for them to feel what it is like to experience the same thing that they do each day.
6. It Might Be Hard To Change Behavior
Some farmers may have a hard time adapting to new technology and changing their ways of farming as a result. Some farmers have been in the industry for decades and may not want to change their practices because their reputation has developed over time.
Even if they are keen on using VR, they may decline because of this issue which could make it difficult for people who are interested in using the technology in the future.
7. It May Not Be Safe For Children
Virtual reality is not safe for children to use. Some children are too young to be exposed to the technology and could develop issues as a result of using the headsets or playing simulations.
Virtual reality can also cause motion sickness and headaches, which are not something that a child or teenager should experience if they are new to using the technology. It would be important for parents to monitor their children while they are using VR so that they can ensure its safety during this time.
8. It Has Yet To Prove That It Is Worthwhile
Many farmers have yet to see virtual reality’s worth so far. Since it is still in its early stages, farmers have not been able to utilize the technology properly to learn how well it works and what can be achieved by using it.
Many trials have been run but none of them have been completely useful or beneficial. The agricultural industry has yet to see how good this technology can be or if it will provide enough benefits for both consumers and farmers.
Final Note
Virtual reality is a fast-growing technology that is used by many industries today including agriculture. The agriculture industry has been overlooked by this technology but it will soon be put into use to fix some of the problems that farmers face.
In the future, farmers will utilize VR in their everyday lives to improve their techniques and gain a better understanding of the processes they are using on the farm. Other technologies like blockchain will also be incorporated into virtual reality simulations so that there is a clear chain of custody for consumers who want to see where their food comes from.
Virtual reality could help producers and consumers save money, time, and energy while benefiting both sides equally.
Last Updated on October 10, 2023 by Parina Parmar
