Precision agriculture and digital technology in the field

Modern fieldwork is increasingly controlled by data. Precision agriculture covers a range of technologies that make it possible to adapt fertilization plant protection and sowing to the actual conditions at each individual spot in the field — instead of treating an entire field uniformly regardless of whether the soil crop or need varies.

The core of precision agriculture is combining precise positioning with data about the field so the machine knows exactly where it is and what should happen right there. This allows for variable application: more fertilizer where the soil needs it, and less where the need is already met.

• 01RTK-GPS control — steers the tractor with few centimeters accuracy and avoids overlap between driving tracks.
• 02Section control of field sprayers and fertiliser spreaders — automatically closes individual sections when they hit an area already treated.
• 03Satellite and drone images — show variation in crop growth and health across the field.
• 04Crop sensors — measures biomass and chlorophyll content directly in the field and controls dosing in real time.
• 05Variable application — uses field map to vary the amount of seed, fertilizer or pesticide as needed.

The use of precision technology is increasing in Danish agriculture. According to an analysis by Statistics Denmark, the share of farms using one or more forms of precision technology increased from around 32 per cent in 2020 to around 36 per cent in 2021 — meaning more than one in three farmers today use the technology. It is especially section control of field sprayers and satellite and drone imagery that have become widespread tools in the field.

Data alone makes no difference until it is translated into action. A satellite or drone image showing a faint spot in a field can, for example, be combined with a GPS map and translated into a prescription file that the fertilizer spreader reads and follows automatically. Similarly, a crop sensor mounted at the front of a sprayer can measure biomass continuously and adjust the dosing of growth regulator or nitrogen as the machine moves.

The advantage of precision farming is that environmental considerations and economics usually pull in the same direction: less waste of fertiliser and pesticides is both better for the aquatic environment and for the bottom line. At the same time the precise recording of what has been applied where can make it easier to meet documentation requirements in fertiliser accounts and spray records.

The development goes further toward more automated solutions: robots for weeding and row cleaning self-driving machines and artificial intelligence that recognizes weeds and pests directly in the field. For the individual farmer it means that digital competence is increasingly becoming part of the practical craft—it is no longer enough to just be able to operate the machine you must also be able to understand and use the data it collects.

“Precision agriculture is not about replacing the farmer's experience — it's about giving the experience better tools to work with.”

— Professional guidance on digitalization in agriculture.