Video: Smart Banana Farming in Queensland
Improving the productivity and environmental performance of farming systems using technology, sensors and live data is referred to as smart farming. Information can come from in-field or vehicle sensors, satellite or drone images, on-site weather data and decision support tools such as forecasting models or automated records.
Bartle Fere Bananas is piloting:
Vehicle and banana bunch tracking
Automated Freshcare records
Real-time nitrate leachate monitoring
Nitrate runoff and leachate forecasting
Soil moisture sensors 6. On-farm weather station
The National Landcare Program and Hort Innovation have funded a pilot smart banana farm and are supporting the development of the Hitachi Control Tower, which provides growers with an integrated data platform to farm efficiently and demonstrates environmental best practice to their customers and compliance bodies.