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About Us

Vision: Sustainable, High-Output Precision Agriculture

To ensure food, energy, and water security by advancing technology to increase crop production, while minimizing the use of energy and water resources and the impact of agricultural practices on the environment.

IoT4Ag unites faculty and students from the University of Pennsylvania, Purdue University, the University of California Merced, and the University of Florida with industry and government partners to transform agriculture.

Need: Food, Energy, and Water Security

By 2050, the US population is estimated to grow to 400 million and the world population to 9.7 billion. Current agricultural practices account for 70% of global water use, energy use is one of the largest costs on a farm, and inefficient use of agrochemicals is altering Earth’s ecosystems. With finite arable land, water, and energy resources, ensuring food, energy, and water security will require new technologies to improve the efficiency of food production, create sustainable approaches to supply energy, and prevent water scarcity.

The opportunity for technological innovation to impact agricultural crop practices and production and thus to ensure a food, energy, and water secure future and the health and prosperity of humanity is highlighted in recent reports.

United States Department of Agriculture (2017): “… it is critical that productivity growth not rely on more cultivated land, water, or energy, but instead harness the power of innovation and technology.”

World Bank Group (2019): “Digital technologies have the potential to improve efficiency, equity, nutrition and health, and sustainability in the food system.”

United States Department of Agriculture (2019): The total value of US crop production exceeds $140 billion/year. Precision agriculture is projected to increase the value of US crop production by an added $47 billion/year.

US Population

328 Million

US Population by 2050

400 Million

21% Population Growth over 30 years

United States Department of Agriculture

Current World Population

7.6 Billion

World Population by 2050

9.7 Billion

27% Population Growth over 30 years

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs