How advanced digitalization and the use of digital twins can revolutionize agriculture and address the global challenge of food insecurity.
Drastic climate change and overpopulation have led to a global crisis of food insecurity, even in economically affluent countries like Canada. Traditional agricultural practices are no longer sustainable, and innovative solutions are needed to produce crops efficiently, reduce waste, and decrease the energy footprint. Controlled environment agriculture (CEA), particularly indoor farming techniques, has emerged as a promising alternative. However, the complexity of CEA requires computer-aided support, such as digital twins, to optimize growth strategies and reduce energy consumption. The Sustainable Systems and Methods (SSM) lab at McMaster University is at the forefront of developing computer-aided methods and tools for CEA.
The Role of Digital Twins in Controlled Environment Agriculture
Controlled environment agriculture involves growing crops in an isolated environment with complex machinery and sensor systems to monitor and control environmental conditions. Automation in controlled environments has proven to yield better quality and higher crop yields compared to traditional farming. However, finding the optimal growth strategy that stimulates growth while minimizing energy consumption is challenging. This is where digital twins, high-fidelity simulations of physical systems, come into play. Digital twins aid decision-making by providing real-time simulations of the physical system and can autonomously control the environment in precision agriculture settings.
Improving Energy Efficiency and Sustainability
Reducing energy consumption is a crucial goal in precision agriculture, as heating and cooling facilities consume significant amounts of energy. Digital twins can help optimize the crop-to-energy ratio by monitoring and controlling environmental conditions in real-time. By providing a live dashboard of environmental conditions, digital twins enable growers to make informed decisions and adjust settings accordingly. Additionally, digital twins can be used in the design of new greenhouses by leveraging data collected over time to improve efficiency and sustainability.
Economic Feasibility and Challenges
The adoption of digitally enhanced CEA and the development of digital twins come with associated costs. Hardware elements and software development are the main cost drivers in developing digital twins. While experimenting with inexpensive devices and gradually expanding functionality can be a good starting point, professional grower settings require industry-grade sub-systems, which can be costly. Digital maturity is also crucial for successful adoption, and the costs related to organizational digital strategy often overshadow technical costs. However, recent success stories of industrial-academic collaborations have demonstrated the potential for scoping ongoing digitalization efforts and overcoming economic challenges.
The Urgency of Food Security and Sustainable Production
Food security and sustainable production are urgent global goals, especially in the face of climate change, environmental crises, and population growth. Eradicating global hunger by 2030, as set by the United Nations General Assembly, requires a paradigm shift in agriculture. Advanced digitalization and the use of digital twins offer a promising path towards achieving this ambitious goal. While there are still obstacles to overcome, the decreasing costs of hardware and computing power make digitally driven smart agriculture an increasingly viable reality.
Conclusion:
Digital twins have the potential to revolutionize agriculture and address the pressing issue of food insecurity. By leveraging advanced digitalization and real-time simulations, growers can optimize crop growth, reduce energy consumption, and improve sustainability. While there are economic challenges and organizational costs associated with adopting digital twins, ongoing efforts and collaborations are paving the way for a future of smart agriculture. As the world faces increasing environmental challenges and the need for food self-sufficiency grows, the use of digital twins offers hope for a more secure and sustainable future.
Leave a Reply