Enabling Connectivity in Agriculture With Digital Forms

Farmers have been using data for centuries, gathered by walking the fields. Sometimes, the information was shared over an early-morning cup of coffee. It’s not that the agricultural industry didn’t see the value of data — the problem for many was the return on investment. Few farmers could afford the upfront costs of high-tech equipment and remote monitoring solutions. They needed a cost-effective way to connect the field with the business. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, family farms reported a gross cash farm income of less than $350,000, while the large-scale farms averaged over $1 million. Smallholder farmers make up 89% of all US farms, with an average size of 445 acres. Only 3% of U.S. farms are classified as large-scale enterprises. Worldwide, the average farm is less than two hectares or the size of three soccer fields. So, how can farmers cost-effectively use digital agriculture technology, data analytics, and algorithms to collect and analyze data to improve their bottom line?

Digitize Forms for Smart Farming

Whether you’re managing a large-scale enterprise or a small farm, walking the fields daily or even weekly, basis may not be feasible. The farm size may make it time-prohibitive and the field locations may require travel to and from different sites. Then, there’s the need to talk to the bank, pick up a part, or pay bills. Whatever the reason, you haven’t the time.

What if you could operate more efficiently and collect critical data for better decision-making initiatives at the same time?

GoCanvas can help farmers automate workflows and business models. Suppose you have 500 acres divided among three separate locations. As it gets closer to harvesting the crops, you need accurate information on which field will be ready first. You have equipment that needs to move from location to location, and disruptions can mean a loss in profit. Automating workflows using customized forms and digital tools can decrease downtime. 

With GoCanvas, you can have employees in each location complete a form on their smartphones and relay the precision agriculture data to a central location for analysis. As people are checking irrigation systems or determining storm damage, they can supply specific information about crop conditions. Analyzing the data and looking at weather conditions can help determine when to begin harvesting for maximum yield. Using the same application, you can let maintenance know to check the equipment a week out and make any repairs, so there’s no delay when harvesting begins. As the first field nears completion, you can notify the second field’s personnel of their scheduled start date based on data supplied with a progress app. Communicating in real-time makes it possible to improve productivity through reduced downtime.

Using Collective Knowledge to Enhance Agricultural Data Collection and Farm Management

Today’s farmers have access to a wealth of information: FAOSTAT has global agricultural data, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has its databases.  Local or regional databases may be available depending on location. With a computer and an internet connection, farms of all sizes can check climate conditions, economic shifts, and market disruptions. What farmers can’t get are the details on what is happening on their farms. That’s where GoCanvas can help.

Suppose you own a vineyard and want to harvest grapes at their optimum harvest. To ensure grape quality, you need to test the grapes to determine the sugar content and pH levels. By recording the data after each test, you can determine the perfect harvest window.

Recording the data on a GoCanvas digital form means the information can be uploaded to a central location and monitored. When the test results reach the vintner’s acceptable level, the grapes can be harvested. Reporting the test results ensures the quality of the grape at harvest. For vineyards selling to multiple wineries maximizing quality is crucial to retaining customers.

Achieving Better Outcomes with New Technologies for Digital Farming

Farmers are well aware of the value chain of data. They understand the importance of collective knowledge but collecting it remains an obstacle. There is no easy way to acquire the information without increasing the burden on agricultural production and personnel or spending financial resources that strain a budget. The industry needs a way to enable connectivity across the agricultural enterprise. 

Improve Workflows with Digital Transformation

With GoCanvas, organizations can improve workflows and increase productivity while acquiring data for better decision-making. Checklists can ensure that actions are completed on time. They can also serve as data points for determining how frequently equipment has been repaired or crops tested. By having the forms available on a smartphone, employees can provide data while in the field or transit. The data collection is integrated into their workflow instead of an extra step in an already full day.

Forecast and Increase Productivity

Having end-to-end connectivity across an agricultural enterprise allows farmers to make informed decisions. The same connections can increase productivity, reduce friction, and improve operations. With digital forms in place, mobile workforces can add data to the pipeline with minimal disruption to their workday. 

Enhance Connectivity

A 2020 report by McKinsey painted a grim landscape where farmers face challenges such as:

• Constrained supply chains
• Higher input costs
• Declining water supplies
• Degrading soil conditions
• Added environmental, social, and governance (ESG) regulations

In the same report, McKinsey’s researchers suggested that connectivity is the path toward data-driven decisions that address these issues. Farmers need to collect, aggregate, and analyze data in cost-effective ways to improve operations.

Our integration and analytic capabilities let clients share data with other applications for more in-depth analysis, and our reporting helps visualize the data, leading to more insights.

Propel the Agricultural Sector with Digital Technologies

The digitalization of on-farm technology and digital solutions will help farmers collect the big data they need to improve food production, operations, and more. GoCanvas provides the digital tools they need to keep their farm and livelihood intact. To learn more about the connectivity capabilities of digital forms, contact us to request a demo.