Agriculture has undergone waves of automation, from the transition from draft animals to tractors to today’s precision agriculture. As described in the article, new technologies will continue transforming agricultural production and reduce the need for human farm labor. Companies across crop, livestock, forestry and fishing subsectors must evaluate these technologies and their impact on jobs and skills.
The article provides an overview of agricultural automation to date. Key developments include combustion engines replacing animal power starting in the early 1900s, self-propelled combines introduced in the 1920s-40s, and hydraulic systems and rubber tires adopted in the 1930s. These innovations boosted productivity—a tractor could do the work of five horses while freeing up land used to feed draft animals. Larger equipment worked more acres in less time with fewer workers.
Looking ahead, the article highlights precision agriculture, swarm robotics, specialty crop harvesting machines, and unmanned aerial scouting vehicles. Precision agriculture leverages data, sensors and automation to optimize inputs like seeds and chemicals. Swarm robotics coordinates multiple autonomous vehicles to efficiently cover fields. New pickers target crops like apples, strawberries and broccoli that resist mechanization. Drones scout and collect aerial data to inform decisions.
The article predicts widespread adoption of specialized equipment like autonomous weeders and pruners within seven years. Additional harvesting machines will emerge within 15 years. Mature swarm robotics could arrive in around 25 years. These technologies will reduce needs for farm laborers, sorters, pesticide applicators and other manual roles.
However, equipment operators and mechanics will remain essential to run and maintain the new machinery. Supervisors’ responsibilities will shift from overseeing workers to managing fleets of intelligent equipment. Managers’ oversight of round-the-clock automated operations will grow. Analytical skills will be critical to glean insights from abundant data the technologies generate.
The article analyzes a sample of 2019 agricultural employment, estimating 63.8% of roles will be impacted by automation. Just 13.1% of jobs like equipment operation and maintenance will be unaffected. But managers will need to reskill even unaffected roles to work with data-rich, sensor-enabled, software-driven equipment.
Agricultural automation will continue as producers adopt technologies that demonstrate return on investment. Larger operations will lead adoption, while smaller farms weigh costs versus labor savings. Producers must holistically analyze automation’s pros and cons for their specific crops, fields, soils and practices.
But automation’s march across agriculture, underway for over a century, is inevitable. The economic and productivity incentives are too compelling. The technologies outlined in the article will reshape agriculture over the next decade. With careful preparation, producers can benefit while responsibly transitioning their workforces. But adapting to this technology-driven shift will separate forward-thinking operations from those rendered obsolete.
