Towards Future Farming - How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming the

Agriculture Industry
Technology has redefined farming over the years and technological advances have affected the
agriculture industry in more ways than one. Agriculture is the mainstay occupation in many countries
worldwide and with rising population, which as per UN projections will increase from 7.5 billion to
9.7 billion in 20501, there will be more pressure on land as there will be only an extra 4% of land,
which will come under cultivation by 2050. This means that farmers will have to do more with less.
According to the same survey, the food production will have to increase by 60% to feed an additional
two billion people. However, traditional methods are not enough to handle this huge demand. This is
driving farmers and agro companies to find newer ways to increase production and reduce waste. As
a result, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is steadily emerging as part of the agriculture industry’s
technological evolution. The challenge is to increase the global food production by 50% by 2050 2 to
feed an additional two billion people.AI-powered solutions will not only enable farmers to improve
efficiencies but they will also improve quantity, quality and ensure faster go-to-market for crops.
Using AI for intelligent spraying of chemicals – Brings in cost savings
Every day, farms produce thousands of data points on temperature, soil, usage of water, weather
condition, etc. With the help of artificial intelligence and machine learning models, this data is
leveraged in real-time for obtaining useful insights like choosing the right time to sow seeds,
determining the crop choices, hybrid seed choices to generate more yields and the like.
AI systems are helping to improve the overall harvest quality and accuracy – known as precision
agriculture. AI technology helps in detecting disease in plants, pests and poor nutrition of farms. AI
sensors can detect and target weeds and then decide which herbicide to apply within the region. This
helps in reduced usage of herbicides and cost savings. Many technological companies developed
robots, which use computer vision and artificial intelligence to monitor and precisely spray on weeds.
These robots are able to eliminate 80% of the volume of the chemicals normally sprayed on the crops
and bring down the expenditure of herbicide by 90%. These intelligent AI sprayers can drastically
reduce the number of chemicals used in the fields and thus improve the quality of agricultural
produce, and bring in cost efficiency.
Using AI-based robots for farm harvesting – Tackling the labor challenge
Have you ever wondered who actually picks the produce from the agricultural land? Well, in most
cases, it is not the traditional farm worker but robotic machines that are capable of doing bulk
harvesting with more accuracy and speed that are responsible for getting the produce on your kitchen
table. These machines help improve the size of the yield and reduce waste from crops being left in
the field.
Many companies are working on improving agricultural efficiencies. There are products like
autonomous strawberry-picking machine1 and a vacuum apparatus that can harvest mature apples
from trees. These machines use sensor fusion, machine vision and artificial intelligence models to
identify the location of the harvestable produce and help pick the right fruits.
Agriculture is the second largest industry after Defense where service robots market have been
deployed for professional use. The International Federation of Robotics estimates that as many as
25,000 agricultural robots have been sold —matching the number used for military purposes.
Crop yield predictions and price forecasts
For many farmers, the biggest worry is the price fluctuation of the crop. Due to unstable prices,
farmers are never able to plan a definite production pattern. This problem is highly prevalent in crops
like tomatoes that have very limited shelf time. Companies are using satellite imagery and weather
data to assess the acreage and monitor crop health on a real-time basis. With the help of technologies
like big data, AI and machine learning, companies can detect pest and disease infestations, estimate
the tomato output and yield, and forecast prices. They can guide the farmers and governments on the
future price patterns, demand level, type of crop to sow for maximum benefit, pesticide usage etc.
To summarize, AI solves the scarcity of resources and labor to a large extent and it will be a
powerful tool that can help organizations cope with the increasing amount of complexity in modern
agriculture. It is high time that big companies invest in this space.

Questions:
20MBA301.3: Discuss how AI is transforming Agriculture sector? 15 Marks
20MBA301.4: Discuss the current issues with crop yield and price forecasts in India and how AI
could help solving this issue? 10 Marks
AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY

Moving far beyond gaming, augmented reality and virtual reality can create value in health care,

manufacturing, retail, and other industries. But winning with AR and VR means carefully

identifying—and integrating—the right strategy, technology, data, and operating model.

AR and VR technology transforms how you visualize and use data, sparking innovation,
efficiency, and competitive advantage. And it’s industry agnostic. Using AR and VR, retailers
can fulfill orders faster and more accurately. Surgeons can perform operations more precisely.
Models for remote work and assistance—more crucial than ever given our changed world—
become more accurate and more effective. The benefits of AR and VR—and the combination of
the two through mixed reality—are evolving, growing, and ready to be seized.

But AR and VR technology is not plug-and-play. Companies that realize the full value of
augmented reality and virtual reality get a lot of things right. They identify just how AR and VR
can be applied to their challenges and goals. They understand how to integrate it with their data,
business models, and people and organization. And they move quickly—but effectively—from
concept to pilot to scale.

BCG’s Approach to AR and VR

There are a lot of misconceptions about augmented and virtual reality: It’s just for gamers. It puts
you in a virtual world. It requires cumbersome headsets. But today’s AR and VR technology is
multifaceted—and tailor-made for the business world.

Augmented Reality
AR keeps you in the physical world but overlays your field of vision with digital information
through wearable or handheld systems—for example, displaying sensor readings and
maintenance instructions as you perform a repair. The field is evolving rapidly, and it is
 brimming with business potential: AR puts relevant data in reach and in context—enhancing
capabilities and insights.
Virtual Reality
Fully immersive, VR uses a head-mounted display to place you in a computer-generated
environment, where you can view and manipulate virtual objects. VR completely blocks out the
physical world, which works well for some uses—such as training soldiers or oil and gas
workers in risk-free surroundings—but means you can’t interact with objects in the real world.
Mixed Reality
Melding augmented reality with virtual reality, MR lets you interact with digital objects within
your physical environment. A neurosurgeon, for instance, might manipulate a 3D MRI scan
projected above a patient. Mixed-reality systems use sophisticated imaging—built into smart
glasses or head-mounted displays—to superimpose virtual elements on your field of vision. They
avoid the isolation of VR systems while providing more digital augmentation than AR.

Winning with AR and VR means linking strategy, technology, and execution. We help
companies identify where—and how—AR and VR can support a business process, model, or
goal, and then move quickly into prototyping and implementation.

It’s an agile, launch-and-learn process that plays out in several phases:

 Identify where AR and VR fit. We help companies understand the pain points they can
alleviate—or the opportunities they can accelerate—with AR and VR technology.
 Build a pilot. Our AR and VR consultants develop applications in an iterative, test-and-learn
way. By experimenting in small-scale pilots, we create value fast while minimizing risk.
 Scale up. Once the application is proven, we help companies expand it across their
organizations, markets, processes—wherever they can realize the benefits of AR and VR.
At the same time, we work with companies to make the changes to roles, organization, and
platforms that let them master the use of AR and VR in business.

Questions:
20MBA301.3: Discuss how AR and VR transform the Business in 21st century? 15 Marks
20MBA301.4: Discuss the BCG's approach to AR and VR? 10 Marks