Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of How2AI, where we explore how artificial intelligence is shaping the world — one field at a time. Today, we’re digging into a topic that matters to everyone: how AI is transforming farming and food production.
🧠 What’s AI Doing on the Farm?
Farms are becoming more high-tech than ever. With tools like drones, smart sensors, and machine learning models, AI is helping farmers:
Grow more food
Use less water and chemicals
Monitor crops and soil health in real time
Let’s look at three ways AI is changing agriculture — with real-world examples and trusted sources.
🌱 1. Boosting Crop Yields
AI helps farmers grow more with less.
By analyzing weather, soil conditions, satellite images, and historical crop data, AI platforms can:
Recommend the best planting and harvesting times
Detect crop diseases early
Predict yield outcomes
Example: IBM’s Watson Decision Platform for Agriculture combines AI, IoT, and weather data to help farmers make smarter decisions.
🔗 Source: IBM – AI in Agriculture
Example: Climate FieldView (by Bayer) uses machine learning to turn field data into actionable insights for improving yield.
🔗 Source: Climate FieldView
🌍 2. Monitoring Soil and Plant Health
AI sees what the human eye can’t.
Using drones and sensors equipped with computer vision and thermal imaging, farmers can:
Spot pest infestations early
Detect plant stress from water shortage
Analyze soil nutrient levels
Example: PEAT’s Plantix app uses image recognition AI to diagnose crop diseases instantly from smartphone photos.
🔗 Source: Plantix App
Example: John Deere’s See & Spray™ system identifies individual weeds using AI, allowing for precise pesticide use.
🔗 Source: John Deere – See & Spray
💧 3. Saving Water and Resources
Smart irrigation systems powered by AI reduce waste.
Sensors and AI platforms can:
Monitor real-time moisture in the soil
Automatically turn irrigation on/off
Reduce water use while maintaining crop health
Example: CropX uses AI and soil sensors to deliver precision irrigation plans that can reduce water use by up to 25%.
🔗 Source: CropX Technologies
Example: Arable’s Mark 3 sensor tracks weather, crop growth, and water needs all in one device.
🔗 Source: Arable Labs
🚜 Real-World Impact
AI isn’t just for big farms. In countries like India and Kenya, AI chatbots and mobile apps help small-scale farmers get timely advice.
Microsoft’s AI Sowing App helped farmers in India increase crop yields by 30%.
🔗 Source: Microsoft AI for Earth – AgricultureApollo Agriculture uses AI to offer loans, seeds, and guidance to smallholder farmers in Africa.
🔗 Source: Apollo Agriculture
📈 Why It Matters
With climate change and a growing global population, we need to grow food more efficiently than ever. AI gives farmers the tools to do just that — with:
Less water
Fewer chemicals
Higher yields
It’s not just about making farms smarter — it’s about feeding the world responsibly.
💡 Tip of the Week
Try exploring AI in nature with the Plantix app or use Google Earth Engine to see how satellites and AI track land health.
❓Got Questions?
Reply to this email with your questions — we might answer them in next week’s issue!
Until next time,
– The How2AI Team
Teaching AI for all ages, from 7 to 90+.