Virgin Media O2 has created the “Connected Farm of the Future” in a trial with Cannon Hall Farm in Barnsley, designed to showcase how enhanced mobile connectivity could change rural agriculture.
Virgin Media O2 is bringing connectivity to explore how a network of sensors and monitors can work together to transform the farm, saving time and money. The trial is helping create a blueprint for farming in time to come that could help unlock an additional £2.5 billion for the UK economy and create 30,390 additional rural jobs according to new economic modelling by algebra for Virgin Media O2.
Agriculture has faced some challenges over the past few years, from extreme weather changes to labour shortages compounded by Brexit and the pandemic. In DEFRA’s newest Farmer Opinion Tracker, farmers on 52% of holdings don’t really feel optimistic about their very own future in farming, up from 41% in 2022. Virgin Media O2, Cannon Corridor Farm and Jules Hudson have designed the “Connected Farm of the Future” trial to assist the {industry} fight these challenges.
“British agriculture faces great uncertainties, but without it the foundation of our rural communities would disappear. If Virgin Media O2 and other leading industry partners can develop ways of further supporting our farmers, it will play a crucial role in the fight to keep Britain farming and thriving,”, mentioned Jules Hudson, TV presenter for ‘Springtime on The Farm’ and ‘Escape to the Country’.
Virgin Media O2 has boosted its community throughout Cannon Corridor Farm to take away sign blackspots and not-spots, offering a high-speed cellular community to the realm. This helps the testing of a number of related expertise use circumstances throughout the farm, together with:
Defending invaluable property
As the 2 most typical rural crimes, gear and livestock theft value the agricultural agriculture {industry} a mixed £49.5 million in 2022 alone. Compounding the problem are gates being left open on public footpaths that run round and thru many farms, resulting in livestock escaping fields and being misplaced or injured.
Trackers, sensors and switches like these put in throughout Cannon Corridor Farm’s gear, livestock and gates as a part of this trial allow the farmers to watch in real-time the situation of those high-value gadgets or obtain alerts about gates left open. Which means farmers will be alerted immediately if gear strikes unexpectedly or leaves the farm, serving to minimise the chance of loss.
Enhancing security
With farmers usually working alone throughout huge areas and distant areas with little to no sign, entry to connectivity is essential. In accordance with information from the Well being and Security Govt (HSE), agriculture has the best office harm fee of 4,100 per 100,000 staff, 3.5 instances increased than the all-industry common. The trial improves security by eradicating not-spots, offering cellular sign throughout the farm and giving staff the power to get assist ought to they want it.
Optimising yields
Over the previous 30 years, main crop yields have decreased globally by 4-10% resulting from local weather change. To fight the influence of unpredictable climate occasions resembling floods and droughts on crop viability and yield, a part of the trial sees the set up of related soil moisture, atmospheric temperature and humidity sensors. These sensors present the potential to watch the well being of crops and assess irrigation wants, cut back water use, enhance crop high quality and permit for focused interventions primarily based on real-time situations.
“The potential for this technology to help create a more efficient, profitable and sustainable future for not only our family farm but many other farms across the UK is huge,”, mentioned Rob Nicholson, proprietor of Cannon Corridor Farm.
Boosting UK agriculture
The report ‘The Great Rulal Revival’ finds potential for the agricultural agriculture sector to extend turnover by 9.4% and increase employment, equating to an additional £2.5 billion per yr and 30,390 further jobs. Nonetheless, as a part of the financial modelling, determination makers throughout the agriculture sector had been requested in the event that they presently make use of connectivity and the outcomes spotlight the digital divide between city and rural agriculture companies. In terms of utilizing connectivity for video calling/conferencing, fleet administration, distant inventory/stock administration or making and receiving cell phone calls, agriculture companies in city areas considerably outscore their rural counterparts: for instance, 33% of city agriculture companies use connectivity for distant inventory checking/stock administration in comparison with solely 4% of rural companies.
“We will continue to work with industry partners, the UK Government, planning authorities and landowners to deliver the network upgrades to provide faster and more reliable coverage that is essential for rural communities to thrive both now and in the future,”, mentioned Jeanie York, chief expertise officer at Virgin Media O2.
Virgin Media O2’s “Connected Farm of the Future” trial showcases the influence of connectivity on rural agriculture, addressing challenges that come up. This initiative holds the potential to considerably increase the UK economic system and create many rural jobs. In an period of digital transformation, bridging the rural-urban connectivity divide turns into essential for the sustainability and development of British farming.
Touch upon this text beneath or through X: @IoTNow_OR @jcIoTnow
Author: Magda Dabrowska
Date: 2023-09-25 07:34:45
