Smart greenhouse technology has been named as one of the most anticipated AgTech innovations for farmers out there. Most people would compare this concept to a regular greenhouse with a set of additional tools due to the simple looks of the innovation. However, the word “smart” is attached to these greenhouses for a very good reason and its features get way more in-depth.

What is a smart greenhouse?

The concept itself entails a regular greenhouse that is equipped with sensors that optimize plant growth by regulating heat, humidity, and light. This allows the crops that are being grown to reach the harvesting stage faster whilst retaining as many nutrients as possible. Moreover, it also controls moisture in the soil to automatically supplement all crops with accurate amounts of water. The delivery and execution of these features are solely dependent on automatic triggers that trigger calculated conclusions, that are followed by specific actions so in essence, the whole premise of this technology is based on the “If This, Then That” protocol.

What makes it all work

The functionality of the innovation is fairly simplistic compared to other concepts that are utilized in Big Ag such as Digital Twin, however, due to all of the “fancy” assets that come with this technology, it is fairly easy for people to get intimidated. Why is that? Well, any innovation that has the words “AI” or “Smart” attached to them are mistakenly perceived as difficult or complex to manage – not with smart greenhouses though. Just like any other device, it is powered by electricity and its main control panel is installed in a portable dashboard. However, the very same app can be downloaded on a phone in order for professional growers to have the luxury of controlling their smart greenhouses when they’re away from their farm.

How AI can help smart greenhouses become smarter

As of now, the latest versions of smart greenhouses do offer a vast plethora of features that enable farmers to efficiently grow crops and maximize the total amount of produce. However, farmers are already bombarded by 101 problems every single day of their lives that relate to bad weather conditions, cost of machinery, plant diseases, and other expenses. As a separate entity that can make calculated decisions by itself, artificial intelligence will be able to entirely take over the farming process of the smart greenhouse and the entire farm itself. This will help farmers separate themselves from the daily farm management processes and utilize their time better, focusing on growing their business rather than sacrificing 40-50% of it for management.