Sustainability in Agriculture with Mobile, Field-Deployable Technologies

Abstract

Sustainability in agriculture is a well-defined terminology today. Reaching the goals of sustainable agriculture is essential for food security, plant and animal health, and for supporting the economic status of our farming communities. Sustainable agriculture relies on understanding and promoting soil health, clean water usage, and mitigating the adverse effects of climate change. This review discusses the different facets of sustainability in agriculture with a focus on plant health diagnostic tools and mobile app technologies. The current practices in sustainable farming are discussed with regards to social and economic viability of farmers and the adoption and trust in new technologies such as mobile apps. The market penetration of these new technologies in agriculture is improving with a significant interest from technology developers and scientific communities to enable automated record-keeping and providing critical farm decisions in a timely manner. We also discuss the challenges and possible solutions in the development and adoption of these technologies for sustainable agriculture.