Beyond Pesticides: Sustainable Pest Management in AgTech

Abstract

Agtech is highlighted in the review as a major driver for a sustainable future in food production as it explores sustainable food systems with an emphasis on social justice, ecological harmony, and financial sustainability. Crop breeding and production are made possible by the application of machine learning and advanced analytics in digital transformation for trend analysis. This technology empowers farmers and ensures customized products for consumers by predicting appropriate features and genetics for maximum crop output. A lack of workers, lower productivity, and economic difficulties threaten the agriculture industry. Increased production, resource conservation, and labor stability are the primary objectives of AgTech, a movement driven by investments, inventions, and entrepreneurial endeavors. Major agricultural input businesses' decrease in innovation, especially in seeds and crop protection products, is a serious issue for the agricultural industry as a whole because innovation is crucial for addressing the challenges brought about by population expansion. Scouting, pest identification, sampling techniques, spatially variable rate technologies, and integrated pest management (IPM) are covered in this chapter. It emphasizes the significance of precision and IPM in pest management. Technology-enabled agriculture, or "agtech," is necessary for solving problems along the value chain. In addition to facilitating access to modern resources, it lets farmers to monitor produce quality, utilize resources like water and agrichemicals efficiently, and obtain enhanced inputs. A lack of education and integration within integrated programs confronts biopesticides with issues such as inadequate understanding, individual testing, and uncertainties regarding affordability and efficiency. The development of biopesticides is being influenced by biotechnology, necessitating a thorough reorganization of the way government and private sectors collaborate. To acquire a better understanding of exposures and hazards, current regulations are being modified. The application of cutting-edge technologies, diverse approaches, and auxiliary devices like unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for crop observation and yield maximization in farming is covered in this review.