Technology has come so far in the last decade that it has many people fearing for their jobs. While robot invasions may happen in science fiction movies, that’s not reality. Artificial intelligence can automate some functions, and that’s not always a bad thing. In fact, technology has the power to revolutionize many traditionally “old school” industries in a way that makes work faster, more accurate, and safe. We’ve already started to see this transformation happening in banking, retail, healthcare, and now, farming.

Despite the fact that farm workers provide the food we need to sustain ourselves一even during pandemics一they have some of the worst working conditions. Farm workers are subject to tremendously long hours, taxing physical labor, poor air quality, extreme heat, and more. Not only can technology play a role in lessening some of these dangers, it can also help farm workers learn new skills, self-organize, fight for their rights, and receive assistance. And ultimately, educating farm workers and keeping them healthy is the first step towards building more productive farms and a more stable food supply.

Read on to learn more about how emerging farming technology is an all-around win for farm workers, growers, and the overall US food supply.

What technology is shaping farming today?

Advances in Agtech are happening every day, and are only picking up steam. Many startups are focused on impacting work in the field, using genetic engineering to create more productive seed and fertilizers, or using artificial intelligence to zap weeds. Others are building machinery to make aspects of harvesting, sorting, and packing more efficient. All these innovations improve the quality of our food, earn growers more money in the long run, and save farmers time.

And governments are starting to pay attention. In October, the United States Department of Agriculture announced a $14.6 million development fund for institutions working on innovations to support farmers. Earlier this year, the EU followed suit, kicking off a $9.4 million program to replace unsafe, laborious tasks with machines across Spain, Greece, France and the Netherlands.

How better technology can affect farm workers

Technology can have the biggest impact on farm workers themselves. As farms digitally transform, they will eventually need specialized technicians to keep them running. Learning how to use complex machinery and new systems can help farm workers move into higher-paying specialties with better hours, making them less prone to injury and limiting their exposure to heat and harmful chemicals. One day, AI-powered farm machines may be able to perform tasks that require people today, but the scale needed to support global supply chains is still decades away.

There are myriad advances on the software side of things as well. Current IoT technologies that run on 3G and 4G cellular networks can enable farmers to monitor their crops and livestock. At the same time, these low-code apps can monitor the climate farm workers are forced to work in everyday and allow them to report any grower misconduct that impacts consumers. Plus, smartphones can connect farm workers to organizations that serve them, granting access to telehealth services, education, food, immigration services, and monetary assistance.

Although apps targeted at farm workers are still in their nascent phase, they can scale to provide trusted, privacy-preserving communications. Some tech companies are beginning to develop self-sovereign identity (SSI) powered apps that give farm workers control of their digital identities. In the future, this could mean farm workers can securely store and retrieve birth certificates, immigration documentation, past work history, and more on the cloud. When applying to jobs, farm workers can simply transfer the necessary information to the employer for verification.

How better technology can affect growers

The worsening climate and unsustainable labor market have made growers increasingly concerned about the number of crops they can produce. To counteract these forces, many growers turn to technology. Robotics, in particular, is piquing growers’ interest. Putting AI-powered cameras and GPS systems atop existing equipment can allow farm workers to remotely operate multiple farm vehicles at once. Eventually, robotics may get so good that tractors can drive themselves at any time of day.

Weeding is another very labor-intensive job that robots can take on. Using computer vision, robots can find weeds, then scrape, suffocate, or pull them out. The detection systems in robots can also collect and analyze data around weather, soil, crop cycles, and livestock. Understanding how all these elements interact over time provides growers insight and enables them to make more informed decisions about who to hire, how to manage their farm, and how to improve crop quality.

Lastly, technology presents an opportunity for a simpler job application and vetting process. With SSI-enabled apps, farm workers can share certifications, references, and visas with growers. As farm workers accept new jobs, each piece of documentation gets verified by another set of growers, building trust within that community. An accredited farm worker pipeline makes hiring more reliable, allowing growers to optimize their farm operations faster.

How technology affects the US food supply

Farm workers are the foundation of our food supply, picking the vegetables on our dinner table. Yet this workforce has so much working against them. Beyond the occupational hazards that come with farming, farm workers are consistently underpaid and undervalued. That’s why many documented farm workers are leaving the industry. This mass exodus has caused a crisis for growers, who now heavily rely on guest workers from Mexico and other parts of Latin America. The vicious cycle continues, as these workers are constantly held up at the border due to their temporary visas. And without enough guest farm workers, growers lose thousands of dollars a year on wasted crops, in turn, leaving them with little revenue to pay the farm workers they employ.

Meanwhile, the demand for food is growing. Although there are bills in Congress attempting to reform the H-2A program as a path to citizenship, that’s not an overnight process. While farm workers and growers wait for new bills to pass, technology can accelerate change. According to McKinsey, implementing connectivity in agriculture can tack on $500 billion in additional value to the global gross domestic product by 2030 — a 7 to 9% improvement from its current expected total. Streamlined farming practices can also help growers and farm workers operate more sustainably, resulting in healthier, top-quality food distribution across the country.

So, what happens next?

Agriculture innovation can pave the way to a better future for farm workers, more sustainable farming practices, and greater food security. Besides new gear, gadgets, and data collection methods, technology has made farm workers more aware of their rights and enabled them to interact with groups that provide education, cash, healthcare, and immigration services.

Technology has also been a critical medium for revealing the plight of both documented and undocumented farm workers. With modern technology and the rise of social media, it’s much easier to publicize injustices, organize storefront protests, marches in the fields, and campus teach-ins. Press attention has brought huge retailers like Taco Bell, KFC, and Walmart to the bargaining table. It’s also spurred recent political change, helping pass the Workforce Modernization Act this year.

But there’s still a long way to go. One more immediate way to instigate change in the system is to digitally transform the non-profits and government entities supporting the farm worker population. Entidad, a digital transformation consulting firm, has already helped several organizations evangelize their mission and revolutionize the way they interact with farm workers.

Click here to learn more about the Entidad team and how they help perpetuate the win-win-win of technology in the farming ecosystem.