Revolution in Precision of Positioning Systems: Diffusing Practice in Agroecology and Organic Farming

Abstract

In the last twenty years, farming practices have been significantly influenced by various innovative technologies, with positioning systems being the most significant. They enable management of crops, fields, and animals with centimeter-level precision in spatial variability. These technologies, combined with an agroecological approach, reduce environmental impacts and respect ecological processes, which are fundamental to mitigating the consequences of extreme events, driven by global changes. Agroecological methods increase the resilience of agroecosystems by placing priority on biodiversity conservation - a matter that is disregarded in conventional and precision agriculture. According to the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the diffusion of sustainable farming practices, like agroecology, is essential to producing more food with less land, energy, and water. Meanwhile, it improves natural resources, provides ecosystem services, and produces lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventional agriculture. For a desirable transition to the agroecological management, it is compulsory to endorse 'smart' organic farming, where positioning systems are tools exploited both to optimize processes of conventional farming (like distribution of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides) and to control the spread of weeds, soil erosion, and preserve the soil's organic matter.