Chongqing - The path ahead for agriculture lies in modernization, however, the key to agricultural modernization lies with progress in technology that can support agricultural development. A new generation of technology, fueled in part by recent 5G developments, digitalization, and big data, is propelling Chongqing into a modern age of IT-supported agriculture, showing leadership in modernization and agricultural developments.

The Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences focuses deeply on the integration of basic agricultural research and digital technologies that can provide technical support for Chongqing’s agricultural modernization. But what are the innovative results of agricultural digital transformation?

On September 11th, the Smart Agriculture Online Group visited the Smart Roadshow News Center of the Smart China Expo Online 2020 and invited Liu Ke, dean of the Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ou Yi, Director of the Agricultural Science and Technology Information Center of the Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Cui Jinbo, Deputy Director of the Institute of Agricultural Machinery at Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and Long Hanwei, Senior Engineer at the Institute of Agricultural Engineering at Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

5G and AI enables rapid growth of Smart Agriculture

Smart agriculture is an evolution of what we today call traditional agriculture. Using modern machinery, and the internet, 5G, Big Data, and Artificial Intelligence, new technologies allow for previously unthinkable developments. Censors for early warning systems, analysis of data from machines in the field can all help improve agricultural performance and development.

Senior Engineer at the Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Long Hanwei, said that currently, AI technology is based on a combination of Artificial Intelligence, Agricultural Machinery, and Agronomy. While traditionally, AI is mostly thought of as teaching a computer to think, ask questions, and find solutions like a human being. In engineering, Agricultural AI has been used in smart fisheries, agricultural production, and management. It is still an ongoing process, and there is still a long road ahead.

Liu Ke, deputy dean of Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences said that 5G technology has been utilized in the agriculture sector as part of the ongoing fight against the novel coronavirus. Information Technologies are used to accurately match production and sales, strengthening monitoring, and early warning systems based on market expectations. The technology is also used to help citizens order agricultural products online and be able to stock up on supplies without having to leave their homes.
Four Platforms Help Chongqing’s Agricultural Digital Transformation

The Digital Transformation of Agriculture is a major component of rural revitalization. This involves the integration of all aspects of the agricultural product industry chain from the field to the mouth. Ou Yi, director of the Information Center of the Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences said that there are four main aspects of agricultural digital transformation currently being carried out. To build a mountain agricultural big data platform, based on the hills and mountains of Chongqing, using modern IoT technology, cloud computing, and big data fusion technology to build a comprehensive service platform.
The second is digital management. A platform for smart villages and parks used to manage the agricultural base of rural areas, tertiary industry integration, and rural tourism. This platform has already been realized in Fulong Village in Wulong County of Chongqing.

The third is to implement a digital map of Chongqing’s agricultural remote sensing. This is to implement accurate remote sensing and monitoring of agriculture in Chongqing, and a platform that could be further expanded to larger areas as a way of monitoring land use, crop monitoring, and market predictions. This will also help with the formulation of future policies and management.

The fourth platform is the hilly and mountainous agricultural IoT intelligent management service platform. This platform uses modern information technology to monitor agricultural land conditions in Chongqing, these include environmental factors such as humidity, insect conditions, and the monitoring of seedlings. By closely monitoring agriculture areas, production costs can be reduced due to timely intervention.

Smart Agricultural Machinery Facilitates Unmanned Farmland Operations

Everyone is familiar with today’s traditional agricultural machinery, harvesters, and tractors. With the development of smart agriculture, machinery with smart capabilities are arriving on the agricultural stages. Cui Jinbo, the senior engineer at the Agricultural Machinery Research Institute of Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said that smart agricultural machinery will realize the potential for unmanned operations. Although some achievements have been made, this goal is still a long way away, especially considering Chongqing’s hilly and mountainous surroundings. The landscape is a significant challenge for the development of Chongqing’s Smart Agricultural Machinery.

Cui Jinbo did introduce two machines during the interview. An unmanned sprayer that accurately applies pesticides to target locations meaning less waste and higher efficiency. This machine has cut the consumption of pesticides by as much as 50%. This pesticide sprayer also utilizes new energy technology and adopts electronic and pneumatic methods to achieve zero emissions, which is a great step forward for environmental protection.

The second smart technology machine is a Smart Orchard Picking Machine with a six-axis robotic arm and 3D vision technology.