Driven by an increasing demand for automation, the need for operational efficiency, and the rise in smart farming to help manage and monitor crops, agriculture Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to exceed $54 billion by 2030, proving its role as an increasingly important asset to future food systems.
For over a decade, Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS) has developed industrial-scale technology and software to help reimagine how food could be produced globally. We aim to help address challenges around where and how food can be grown, but also to optimise yield and quality.
IoT allows us to create intelligent, fully-automated controlled environments that can be replicated virtually anywhere on the planet, even in the most arid of climates.
Why IoT could play a critical role in global food security
As the world’s population grows and the climate continues to change, our food systems and supply chains continue to face pressure, making traditional agriculture increasingly vulnerable. We must continue to think differently and consider complementary technology to help feed the almost 10 billion population expected by 2050.
Controlled environment agriculture, enabled by IoT, helps streamline the link between food production and place, allowing food producers to grow fresh, high-quality crops anywhere, at any time of year. This could prove essential in regions where traditional farming is no longer achievable or in cities where demand exceeds local supply.
Effectively, IoT is helping us transition from a reactive model of agriculture to a proactive, data-led approach – it could prove a catalyst for food security.
How IGS is delivering on that promise through precision control
Our vertical farming systems are powered by a dense, integrated IoT network that monitors and controls every aspect of the growing environment. This system is enhanced by sensors that allow us to monitor farm conditions in real time from anywhere in the world. This means we can tweak systems on the fly without needing someone physically on-site 24/7. It reduces the reliance on skilled labour and helps centralise expertise across multiple sites.
The result is a highly predictable outcome and replicable growing system, whether deployed in a city centre or a desert climate. Not only this, but the same growth recipes can also be applied to deliver identical crop quality and yield, providing better reliability for growers.
One of the often-overlooked benefits of IoT is that it allows us to collect vast amounts of data – even before we know exactly how we’ll use it. Sometimes the most valuable insights only become clear after we’ve started capturing and analysing the data. Patterns emerge, correlations appear, and new opportunities for optimisation or automation present themselves that we wouldn’t have thought to look for. In many cases, the data we gather today could unlock the efficiencies or breakthroughs of tomorrow.
Integrating AI and ML to master predictive intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) have the capacity to build on this data-driven foundation allowing our systems to become increasingly more predictive.
This could perhaps be through suggesting changes to lighting, fertigation, or nutritional doses to reach optimal outcomes. There is even a future where this predictive development becomes autonomous, using closed-loop feedback to evolve recipes in real-time. This would reduce the human interaction required, making use of AI-enabled data modelling to deliver optimal crops.
Ultimately, it’s not just about building smarter farms, it’s about building systems that are robust, scalable, and ready for global deployment.
The importance of IoT in reducing environmental impact
IoT is not only helping to transform how we grow food, but also how responsibly we can do it. Continuous measurement of environmental variables allows for smarter use of inputs like water and nutrients. Similarly, fine-grained control over lighting means we can optimise for plant growth, increasing crop density and shortening growth cycles.
There are also significant applications for IoT in terms of consumer confidence. With IoT logging every stage of a crop’s lifecycle, full traceability becomes achievable – from seed to harvest.
And because our systems can operate near the point of consumption, whether in urban areas or more remote locations, our technology can help significantly reduce food miles. That means fewer emissions, fresher produce, and more resilient local supply chains.
When looking at the bigger picture, these may look like minor improvements, but if adopted at scale, which is what our systems are built for, they are meaningful steps toward building a more sustainable global food system.
So, could data be the answer to the future of smarter food production?
Technology is a tool that should be used to futureproof food production to make it smarter, reliable, and more sustainable for generations to come. IoT is vital for this, allowing us to replicate success at scale across climates, adapt quickly to changing conditions, and dramatically reduce energy use through precision.
The future of farming should be moulded by data, automation, and intelligent systems to help navigate the unpredictability of climate and adverse weather. By combining real-time insights with automation and technical expertise, we can build scalable, resilient systems anywhere in the world at any time, strengthening global food security.
About the Author
Dave Scott is Chief Technology Officer at Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS). Founded in 2013 in Scotland, Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS) manufactures world-leading vertical farming technology. The company set out to address challenges faced by growers across the world (such as extreme weather, labour shortages, and the impact of pests and disease) using a blend of science and engineering expertise. In 2017, IGS made a covenant with the market never to grow crops for commercial sale, instead choosing to solely focus on developing world-class technology for growers. This approach is backed by continuous innovation and R&D, combining the latest science with actionable data. IGS takes Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) one step further, in what is known as Total Controlled Environment Agriculture (TCEA). This makes for consistent, predictable crop yield, delivered via reputable growth recipes and a tailored, biosecure environment. TCEA allows for complete automation of the farm’s environment, minimising labour requirement, and in turn the risk of pests and diseases.
