Big Data Down on the Farm

Big data has become a big buzzword. For many though, this term remains very much a black box, its real world applications shrouded in ambiguity. For some, big data can often carry some negative connotations: they think of secret government agencies, tracking their every move. They think of large corporations following their every click, peering deep into the souls of consumers to predict their buying habits and preferences. But big data isn’t reserved only for the likes of Google, the NSA, and companies on the Fortune 500. In reality, the applications of big data are far more innocuous, diverse and practical in nature.

One such practical example is down on the farm. With hundreds of acres of land to manage, farmers in the agriculture industry are turning to big data to help them make smarter decisions. Farmers are trading in their almanacs and soil sample kits for newer equipment, like tractors outfitted with sensors that give them access to important data to maximize their crop yield. Tractor sensors can take samples as they go, tracking soil composition and nitrogen levels for each square meter of the hundreds of acres on each farm. GPS and GIS mapping technology is being coupled with spectral imaging sensors attached to airplanes, and even drones, that can be flown over farms. These technologies can provide farmers detailed maps of their fields, letting farmers “see” the health of their crops by detecting water and nutrient levels.
The new data-savvy farmer compiles a large dataset complete with soil data, weather and climate data, as well as seed and fertilizer characteristics. Farmers can use these data to make much more effective decisions to maximize crop yield and save on costs across every portion of their land. Seed and fertilizers can be customized to smaller areas of land, rather than over square acres. Irrigation changes can be made quickly and more accurately, to separately address drier areas and avoid those that are oversaturated, all while taking into account impending weather changes.

Big data provides even greater opportunities for farmers if the data collected on each individual farm are compiled and compared across many farms. A larger farm dataset can provide even deeper insights - helping farmers to find the winning combination of seeds, fertilizer, soil, and water. Gone are the days of the single, humble farmer with his soil sample kit and bag seeds. A network of farmers with shared advanced sensor data, taking more samples across more land, allows farmers to better predict the dynamic living system of their crop fields.

The influx of big data into the agriculture world presents great opportunities for farmers to build a deeper and more useful understanding of their land and climate. Using data wisely and productively, however, will require new skills not just in farming, but in an increasingly wider variety of endeavors. It’s ODI’s mission to understand this new set skills we should be teaching in schools and to build them into the learning experiences of all K-16 students. Preparing a new generation of data literate individuals, ready to unpack the black box of big data.