The agriculture industry is currently undergoing a significant transformation. From being primarily manual and labor-intensive, it has developed into a dynamic technology industry where innovations meet with nature in a harmonious blend. Applying Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the agriculture sector has created new avenues for sustainability and production optimization. This article explores the practical application and major benefits of big data GIS solutions that can help individuals and governments make data-driven decisions and forecast the actions of nature.
The Role of GIS in Modern Agriculture
The “GIS Software in Agriculture Market” is poised to grow to USD $12.3 Billion by 2032, achieving a substantial compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.19% from 2024 to 2032. In 2023, the market’s valuation was USD $9.7 Billion. Data holds more power than words, so we can see how GIS technology has transformed the way agricultural data is collected, analyzed, and utilized. By integrating spatial data with traditional data, GIS helps monitor crop conditions, manage land use, forecast yields, and plan operations.
Key Applications of GIS:
- Crop Monitoring: GIS tools can monitor crop health and detect issues like pest infestations, nutrient deficiencies, and water stress. This helps in timely intervention and reduces crop losses.
- Land Management: By mapping land use and soil types, GIS aids in optimizing land management practices, ensuring that each parcel of land is used in the most productive way.
- Yield Forecasting: GIS can integrate historical yield data with current crop conditions and weather patterns to forecast future yields, helping farmers and stakeholders plan better.
- Precision Farming: GIS supports precision agriculture by providing detailed maps of field variability. This allows for the precise application of inputs such as fertilizers, water, and pesticides, reducing waste and increasing efficiency.
- Disaster Management: GIS helps assess the impact of natural disasters such as floods, droughts, and storms on agriculture, enabling better disaster preparedness and response.
- Market Analysis: GIS can analyze market trends and transportation logistics, helping farmers decide what crops to plant and how to distribute their produce best.
Let’s look closer into the real-life project insights and explore how it operates in practice.
Real-Life Project: Strengthening a Nation with GIS
In a vast Central Asian country, a visionary non-profit organization set out on an ambitious mission: to modernize agronomic planning through cutting-edge GIS technology. This journey began with a clear goal: to create an all-encompassing GIS system capable of serving the diverse needs of businesses, government bodies, and the entire country.
The team envisioned a system that could store, analyze, and manage agronomic data while guaranteeing the highest accuracy and relevance. It needed to be robust, stable, and efficient, capable of handling high workloads without faltering.
To turn this vision into reality, a dedicated team of GIS experts, front-end and back-end developers, business analysts, and quality assurance specialists was assembled. A robust technology stack, including Angular9, PostgreSQL12, PostGIS3, PHP8, and Laravel6, helped transform the solution into a big GIS WEB System.
Features and Functionalities
The GIS WEB System offers several advanced features:
- Data Storage and Analysis: The system allows for the storage, processing, and analysis of detailed field and crop data, providing insights on yield improvements and irrigation needs.
- Agro-Ecological Data Display: Users can access real-time data on weather, soil, and terrain, which supports effective agronomic planning and operational monitoring.
- Government Monitoring and Analysis: The portal enables government entities to analyze irrigation effectiveness, monitor crop conditions, and evaluate regional yield outcomes.
- Remote Control of Agricultural Land: This feature includes operational monitoring of sown areas and supports the forecasting and planning of agricultural operations.
- Guidance on Agricultural Practices: The system offers practical advice to users on improving yields, understanding crop conditions, and meeting irrigation requirements.
- Interactive Integrations: The solution integrates interactively with diverse systems and services, ensuring seamless data exchange and operational efficiency.
- Extensive Access Control: The system features a comprehensive access rights structure to ensure data security and appropriate user permissions.
The developed solution, according to our experience, not only reduced development costs by 25% but also established a user-oriented service offering comprehensive agricultural data to facilitate agronomic planning and enable informed decision-making. This turnkey solution has optimized the data management system by 98%, making it an indispensable tool for modern agricultural management.
Impact of AI on GIS
Continuing the topic of technology, it is impossible not to highlight Generative AI and LLM, which are delivering business value science 2023. According to a report by IndustryARC, the AI for geospatial analytics market is expected to grow to $172 million by 2026, highlighting the enormous potential and importance of this trend.
In the context of GIS, using machine learning for object recognition, building footprints, and road crack detection removes many time-consuming steps from GIS workflows. LLM and GenAI enable enterprises to extract valuable insights from geospatial data by discovering hidden patterns, identifying spatial relationships, and predicting future outcomes.
These insights can help inform many decisions, from optimizing transportation routes and urban development to mitigating environmental risks and planning for natural disasters.
Value for Future Generations
Many believe that human actions are responsible for the natural disasters we witness today. However, this article highlights how technology can positively shape our future. Through practical cases and the adoption of GenAI in GIS, we have seen advancements in precision agriculture that have significantly impacted our lives. By reflecting on the transformative power of GIS technology in agriculture, we can predict and analyze factors that help conserve essential resources like water and soil, ensure food security, and provide a sustainable future for generations to come.
