Role of IT in Agriculture
                     ROLE OF IT IN 
AGRICULTURE
Introduction
Agriculture is a major sector which is vital for the 
survival of modern man. Plants are the producers in 
the food chain, and without them, the life cycle 
would just not be possible. Agriculture is a wide field 
which requires the support of disciplines from other 
sectors for it to fully thrive. 
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What is information 
technology?
Information technology   refers to the utilization of 
computers along with other telecommunication 
equipment for the storage, retrieval, transmission, and 
manipulation of data, among other tasks, which are 
aimed to improve the efficiency of different sectors. 
Among the sectors that utilize IT Is agriculture.
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How does IT play a 
role in the Agricultural 
sector?
Well, many people wonder how information technology and 
agriculture are related, yet they are totally different 
disciplines. 
Agriculture has been there for several centuries,  on the 
contrary, IT is a young discipline which was discovered 
some decades ago. However, IT plays a big role in the 
agricultural sector.
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Improved productivity
Farmers need information on latest varieties, changing  
weather patterns, crop production techniques and improved 
agronomic practices for them to produce. 
Information technology plays a vital role in ensuring the 
farmers get access to this information, regardless of their 
agro ecological location. 
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Community 
involvement
There are several programs which are made possible by IT 
applications, and community involvement in agriculture can 
be increased as well. When a community adopts modern 
methods for agriculture, the production of local goods can 
be increased. 
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Good post-Harvest 
practices and Value 
addition of farm produce
Most farmers after good crop husbandry, get a lot of crop 
yields after harvesting, However, few months later they incur  
losses due to poor storage. 
Information  technology has provided the avenue where 
farmers are able to see and learn about latest post-harvest 
handling and storage techniques used in other countries, thus 
they learn and also utilize them, this helps to reduce the losses 
of their crops.
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Improved decision making 
by the farmer
Through the use of information technology, It is easier to 
develop farm records and follow up on the daily events of the 
farm. 
This will enable the farmer  to make the correct decisions 
when it comes to types of fertilizers’ to be used, the variety of 
seeds to be planted, when to market his/her produce and how 
to employ the best farming techniques.
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Improved efficiency and 
service delivery at the farm
Crop data, Animal data or any other farm data can be 
generated and kept much easier with the use of information 
technology, than manual processes. 
Information technology has also been utilized in automated 
farm machines which are scheduled to carry out activities such 
as irrigation or spraying even in the absence of the farmer, 
thus it makes service delivery very effective.
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Weather forecasting and 
climate smart farming
The climate and weather play  a vital role in farming. With the 
use of IT infrastructure, farmers are able to receive weather 
forecasts, and therefore they plan when to irrigate, or when to 
plant, and how much water should be used for irrigation. This 
plays a vital role in the agricultural production.
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Remote sensing and GPS 
location
With the use of  IT, It is easier to locate a farm, even if it is 
miles away. 
This is made possible by  the use of Information technology 
through the global positioning system (G.P.S )Which has also 
enabled professionals in the agricultural field to be able to 
classify different areas  into different agro ecological zones.
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