Agricultural Sustainability Through Technological Solutions

Agriculture today faces unprecedented challenges, including climate change, land and water scarcity, soil degradation, rising input costs, labour shortages and increasing demand for safe and nutritious food. Addressing these interconnected challenges requires a paradigm shift from conventional practices toward technology-enabled, data-driven, and resource-efficient agricultural systems. This book is designed to address this need by presenting state-of-the-art technological solutions that support sustainable food production across the entire agricultural value chain. The book covers foundational concepts of agricultural sustainability and examines the role of digitalization, smart farming and technological innovation in building resilient food systems. Key topics include artificial intelligence, machine learning, the Internet of Things, big data analytics, predictive modelling, drone and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies, and blockchain, highlighting their applications in agricultural decision-making, crop monitoring, precision farming, supply-chain transparency and efficient resource management. Dedicated sections focus on smart irrigation, variable-rate fertilizer application, smart crop pest and disease management, and machine learning-based estimation of evapotranspiration for precision irrigation and agricultural water reuse, emphasizing improvements in water and nutrient use efficiency and sustainable agricultural production. In addition, the book explores controlled-environment and sustainable farming systems such as hydroponics, aeroponics, aquaponics and smart greenhouses as technological approaches for efficient resource utilization and sustainable crop production. The role of renewable energy, solar-powered irrigation and farm mechanization, robotics, and climate-smart technologies in enhancing agricultural sustainability and resource-use efficiency is also discussed. The book further extends beyond primary production to address post-harvest technologies for reducing food loss and waste, as well as circular bioeconomy and waste-to-resource technologies that promote efficient utilization of agricultural residues and contribute to sustainable and resource-efficient agri-food systems. By bridging foundational concepts, technological advancements and real-world applications, this book aims to support the transition toward sustainable, smart and future-ready agriculture. It is intended for researchers, academicians, postgraduate students, policymakers, agricultural engineers, agri-tech professionals, extension specialists and practitioners who are engaged in advancing sustainable agriculture through technological innovation.