Download PDF
Improving an Agronomist's Efficiency and Transparency
Technology Category
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Data Management Platforms
Applicable Industries
- Agriculture
Applicable Functions
- Product Research & Development
- Quality Assurance
Use Cases
- Farm Monitoring & Precision Farming
- Supply Chain Visibility
Services
- Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services
- Data Science Services
The Challenge
In his work as an agronomist, Ruaan Du Plessis realised that higher crop monitoring requirements combined with larger orchard sizes and an increased need for information by growers necessitated a new approach to data accessibility and transparency. Recent free trade agreements such as the one between Australia and China (ChAFTA) have changed the focus for fruit growers from traditional channels like canneries and other domestic buyers to fresh fruit exports. Stringent bio-security compliance laws for export to Asia mean that growers need to have their orchards monitored for a number of quarantine pests by a person approved by the Department of Agriculture. As exports become more important, the monitoring program is becoming bigger and more rigid; which is why we require the best recording and reporting tool available for our agronomy activities.
About The Customer
Agriculture plays a big role in the northern Victorian Goulburn Valley and the availability of irrigation water has made it one of Australia’s most productive and intensely farmed areas. Dairying and fruit growing are the predominant sectors in the Goulburn Valley and the surrounding towns are bustling with a range of businesses that support these farmers. Local agronomy organisations like IK Caldwell, for example, have tailored their offerings for orchardists to include the specialist technical services needed to grow quality fruit that can command a premium in the international fresh fruit trade. Where traditional agronomists just offered agronomy services, growers nowadays expect a full service offering that includes fruit fly traps, moisture probes and detailed reports needed for export certification amongst other services.
The Solution
Ruaan, together with his fellow IK Caldwell agronomists, decided to utilise Agworld as a platform to deliver their agronomy services both in the field and in the office. Agworld is the main tool that we use to enhance 2-way communication between ourselves and growers. When I create a recommendation for example, I can immediately send it to both the grower, our merchandise manager and a contractor if needed. This means that as soon as I complete a recommendation, the grower knows what they need to do, our merchandise manager knows which products they have to get delivered where, and the contractor knows where and when they need to do a job for a grower. Everyone has the exact specs of the jobs and this really eliminates the opportunity for inaccuracies to be introduced through the chain of communication.
Operational Impact
Related Case Studies.
Case Study
Intelligent Farming with ThingWorx Analytics
Z Farms was facing three challenges: costly irrigation systems with water as a limited resource, narrow optimal ranges of soil moisture for growth with difficult maintenance and farm operators could not simply turn on irrigation systems like a faucet.
Case Study
Greenhouse Intelligent Monitoring and Control Solution
Farming Orchids is the most successful form of precision farming in Taiwan, and also the most exported flower. Orchids need a specific temperature and humidity conditions to grow and bloom, and its flowering time may not be in line with market demands, so the price collapses when there is overproduction. Therefore, some farmers began to import automated greenhouse control systems for breeding and forcing, which not only improves quality, but also effectively controls the production period and yield to ensure revenue. In 2012, an orchid farmer built a Forcing Greenhouse of about 200 pings (approximately 661 Square Meters) in Tainan, Taiwan. The system integrator adopted Advantech’s APAX-5000 series programmable automation controllers to build the control platform, coupled with Advantech WebAccess HMI/SCADA software, to achieve cloud monitoring. The staff of the orchid field can monitor important data anytime via smart phone, iPad, and other handheld devices, and control the growth and flowering conditions. System requirements: In the past, most environmental control systems of orchid greenhouses in Taiwan used PLCs (Programmable Logic Controller) with poorscalability and control, and could not be connected to the Internet formonitoring from the cloud. For advanced database analysis and networking capability, the PC platform must be adopted. Therefore, PAC Systems (Programmable Automation Controller) with both PLC programming capabilities andPC functions is a better choice.The environmental control of the Orchid greenhouse switches on and off devices like fan, shade net, cooling/heat pump, liquid flow control, water-cooling wall etc. It is controlled by a control panel of electric controllers, and is driven by a motor, to adjust the greenhouse temperature, humidity, and other environmental conditions to the set parameters.
Case Study
Enabling Internet of Things Innovation in Agriculture
DigiBale, wanted to apply technology know-how and IP from implementations successfully to more agriculture sectors including cotton, forestry, sugarcane and cattle. However, farmers and growers still have worries about the connected technology.
Case Study
Precision beekeeping with wireless temperature monitoring
Honeybees are insects of large economic value and provide a vital service to agriculture by pollinating a variety of crops. In addition, bees provide us with valuable products such as honey, beeswax, propolis, bee venom, etc. Monitoring of honeybee colony health, population, productivity, and environmental conditions affecting the colony health have always been exceedingly difficult tasks in apiculture. Research has shown that even small deviations (by more than 2°C) from the optimal temperatures have a significant influence on the development of the brood and the health of adult bees.
