This document discusses the role of geographic information systems (GIS) in crop production. It defines GIS as a computer-based tool for mapping and analyzing things on Earth. It then describes several important applications of GIS in agriculture, including mapping current and future variations in climate and crop output; soil analysis to determine suitable crops; combining large datasets; interacting with farmers; determining nutrient needs; assembling information layers; precision farming; storing geospatial data and producing maps; raising awareness of food scarcity; analyzing and visualizing agricultural environments; and increasing production while reducing costs. In summary, GIS is a valuable tool that helps farmers make better decisions to efficiently and effectively manage their land and crops.
4. Geographic Information System :-
Definition:- A Geographic information
System (GIS) is a computer based
tool for mapping and analysing things
that exist and events that happen on
earth.
5. Importance Of GIS :-
■ Perform geographic queries and
analysis,
■ Improve Organisational integration,
■ Make better decisions,
■ Making maps
6.
7. Agricultural mapping:-
The application of GIS in agriculture
is important because it is very
helpful in mapping the current and
future variations in sleet,crop output
and temperature of soils.
8. Soil analysis:-
■ GIS is also important in agricultural
soil analysis because it helps in
determining the type of soil, what crop
to grow in it and how to maintain the
nutrients present in soil to the benefit
of crop.
9. Data combination:-
■ GIS together with many variations in
the USDA sectors have been used in the
combination of large amounts of data
into a data set.For instance,countries
such as US use GIS system to solve any
crop issues that arise,protect the
crop&provide solutions to fake claims
of crop damage.
10. Interaction with farmers:-
■ GIS have helped farmers,especially those
in the US to access the data on their
lands.This does not necessarily require
them to have the GIS themselves.In
addition to that ,this also helps them in
interacting with data ask questions
&provide reliable& valuable on ground
data that cannot be generated through
use of satellite.
11. Nutrient determination:-
■ Nutrients in a field needs to be
determined first before farmers came to a
decision on adding nutrients to the soil.GIS
is used to study the different statuses of
nutrients in a field to enable farmers to
reach a specific requirement for the
external application of nutrients. This helps
in the combination of computer software
modeling analysis with site analysis for a
conclusive interpretation of varying outputs
12. Assemble information:-
GIS is used in assembling different layers of
information such as soil moisture,nutrients
elevation,topography,to aid in the
production of a map,which will show some
of factors that influence crop
yield.furthermore the yield is used as a
future reference and the economic inputs
and outputs are pre mediated based on
expected yield.
13. Precision farming:-
■ The sensors present in
tractors,satellites and in fields play a
vital role in collecting data using GIS in
this area helps in the shaping of
collected data into viable information
that is accessible& easy to interpret by
land managers & farmers.In addition
to that,this helps in the making of
14. Store geospatial data &Produce maps
for land inventory:-
■ The data that was provided by the GIS
indicated whether the land in question
is capable to support agriculture,
wildlife,tourism&forestry among
others,land that is capable of
supporting agriculture is essential
because it helps in production of crops
both locally and globally.
15. Raising alertness:-
■ Farming is the one of the agricultural sectors
that need awareness,especially about crop &
their availability.GIS comes handy in this sector
because of its effectiveness in increasing food
scarcity awareness.once the affected area has
been located, the necessary assistance is
provided.The underlying causes of food in
security are determined & GIS data is used in
safeguarding the various communities or areas
that have been affected.
16. GIS has allowed farmers to envisage study
and understand the extent of geographic
data that is being stored every day this
data is easily communicated to various
farmers,which in turn helps them to know
the crops that are thriving the controlled
use of fertilizers & the extent that natural
disasters and pollution hinder production.
17. Analyze & visualize agricultural
environments:-
■ A farm can only be successful and
profitable when there is a balance between
inputs & outputs.GIS has proved to be
handy in this sector because it analyzes &
visualizes the agricultural environment and
the flow of work in these
environments.This has proved to be
beneficial to those involved in the farming
18. Increase production :-
■ Furthermore GIS is applied in agriculture to
enable farmers to increase their production
.In addition to that farmers are also able to
reduce costs and manage their land more
effectively and efficiently.This is done
through the scientific analysis of
production data, which is stored at the
farm managers office.