Global Impact
Innovation UGA uses precision agriculture to transform how populations feed a growing world
Agriculture may be Georgia’s No. 1 industry, but its impact stretches far beyond the state line. Feeding a global population that’s expected to hit nearly 10 billion by 2050 relies on efficiently growing, managing, and conserving food systems. That’s where precision agriculture matters.
At the University of Georgia, researchers are advancing agricultural sciences by working directly in the field with the latest technologies. Precision agriculture means using data to drive smarter, more sustainable production decisions. Using tools like sensors, artificial intelligence, GPS, drones, and other technologies, producers can precisely target when and where to water, fertilize, and plant to maximize yield while minimizing waste and cost. And it’s not solely to monitor plants but also to efficiently maintain animal production while monitoring growth, development, and even well-being remotely with minimal human interaction.
UGA’s Institute for Integrative Precision Agriculture (IIPA) brings together experts from the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES) and the College of Engineering to develop real-world solutions for the future of farming. From designing field-ready autonomous machines to developing yield and profit maps for crop fields, the work is hands-on, collaborative, and mission-driven.
Field-ready autonomous machines, like cotton field rovers, scan and analyze rows of cotton to gather crop data and predict yield. With this insight, growers can anticipate demand, optimize resources, boost yields, and reduce costs—ultimately improving profit margins and helping to stay competitive in global trade.
Agrivoltaics is another innovative solution gaining momentum. This technology combines solar panels with crop production, providing shade to crops and livestock while simultaneously generating renewable energy. Research shows that solar panels can keep crops cooler, boosting energy generation while increasing crop productivity by up to 300%. This synergy of renewable energy and agriculture is a win-win for both farm productivity and sustainability.
“For decades, UGA has been leading in precision agriculture,” said George Vellidis, director of the UGA Institute for Integrative Precision Agriculture. “Now, we’re building on that foundation to continuously refine and scale solutions for producers around the world.”
UGA works beyond the classroom and lab through partnerships like those with Grand Farm, a North Dakota-based agricultural innovation ecosystem. Thanks to a grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC), UGA built its own 250-acre Grand Farm to accelerate ag-tech startup ideas that could shape the future of farming.
“This collaboration represents the perfect marriage of tradition and innovation,” said Nick T. Place, dean and director of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “By bringing together the college’s world-class researchers and the UGA Institute for Integrative Precision Agriculture with Grand Farm’s cutting-edge technologies, we will revolutionize the way we feed and clothe the world’s population.”
Feeding more people—more sustainably and at a lower cost—while fueling economic growth is one of the defining challenges of our time. As the No. 1-ranked U.S. university in bringing research-based products to market, UGA is poised to meet that challenge and deliver real-world solutions. In investing in precision agriculture, UGA plans to cultivate a smarter, more resilient future for producers everywhere.
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