Data has been essential to farmers’ work for generations. Weather patterns, historical crop yield data and market information all helps to inform their planting cycle, treatment and watering plans. Farmers have also been many of the first technology “early adopters,” in many parts of the world, enabling them do their job with greater efficiency.

So much more goes into feeding the planet than the assembly of ingredients on our plates. Whether it’s soil quality, availability of clean water or climate change, the global farming community is constantly having to overcome challenges to grow fresh produce in a sustainable manner.

In order to sustain a world population expected to reach 10 billion by 2050, we will need to double global agri production over the next three decades. Thanks to a number of global trends that are influencing food security, poverty, and the overall sustainability of food and agricultural systems through digital technology, usually referred to as ‘AgTech’.

New US research revealed a different internal structure of corn than previously thought. These findings can help optimise how corn is converted into ethanol.

So much more goes into feeding the planet than the assembly of ingredients on our plates. Whether it’s soil quality, availability of clean water or climate change, the global farming community is constantly having to overcome challenges to grow fresh produce in a sustainable manner. From autonomous robots to satellites and cutting-edge science, farmers around the world are deploying new technologies to help them work in smart and cost-effective ways.

Plant breeding has been continuing for a long time. However innovation – unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), robots, computerized reasoning (AI) and machine learning – is reforming the training.