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With a rapidly growing population, many are searching for new ways of farming that are less harmful and use less resources compared to current practices. This article advocates for hydroponic farms. "Hydroponic farms offer a pathway towards a more sustainable food ethic that prioritizes the health of our food, bodies and environment without the heavy use of chemicals."

"The dirt beneath our feet is getting poorer and on many farms worldwide, there is less and less of it." "This article is part of a new multimedia series Follow the Food by BBC Future and BBC World News. Follow the Food investigates how agriculture is responding to the profound challenges of climate change, environmental degradation and a rapidly growing global population. Our food supply chains are increasingly globalised, with crops grown on one continent to be consumed on another. The challenges to farming also span the world."

John Deere has bought Bear Flag Robotics for $250 million in a move that sees it bolster its already strong fleet of autonomous farming robots, a press release reveals. The Silicon Valley-based Bear Flag Robotics was founded in 2017 with the goal of developing autonomous driving technology for tractors and other farm machinery. The deal "will accelerate the delivery of solutions to farmers that address the immense challenge of feeding a growing world," said Jahmy Hindman, Chief Technology Officer at John Deere. A significant amount of work in autonomy is focused on farming, the implementation of these technologies could increase yields as well as the ability to produce crops in areas that have been in the past inhospitable to growing.

The weeding machine is a beast at almost 10,000 pounds. It boasts no fewer than eight independently-aimed 150-watt lasers, typically used for metal cutting, that can fire 20 times per second. They're guided by 12 high-resolution cameras connected to AI systems that can recognize good crops from bad weeds. The Laserweeder drives itself with computer vision, finding the furrows in the fields, positioning itself with GPS, and searching for obstacles with LIDAR. It drives 5 miles/hour and can clear 15-20 acres in a day.

"Data sharing can also drive better business decisions. Knowing the weather patterns at other farms around the world can prepare growers for shifts in the market, from potential yields to pricing trends. ... "So, bringing that data story together helps individual farmers grow and makes sure they have a sustainable business model."

"More than 2,400 families have started their own gardens, and seven new permanent market spaces have been created. Shorter, localised food supply chains help the city reduce carbon emissions by producing 2,500 tons of fruits and vegetables each year. Compared to imports, local food production has been shown to reduce emissions by 95 per cent."

"Improving the microbial quality of agricultural water through filtration can benefit small farms globally. The incorporation of zero-valent iron (ZVI) into sand filters (ZVI-sand) has been effective in reducing E. coli, Listeria spp., and viruses from agricultural water. This study evaluated ZVI-sand filtration in reducing E. coli levels based on influent water type and the percentage of ZVI in sand filters"

"For cities to catch up, they need to apply a data-driven approach similar to what farms are using to more effectively grow crops. Cities must start supporting urban agriculture in targeted ways that work with the urban agriculture industry to transform our current food production and distribution systems into smarter, more localized, and more resilient networks."

"I have seen one fool's gold rush from up close in the lead up to the 2008 financial crisis. It feels like we may be on the cusp of another with cryptocurrencies (crypto) and decentralized finance (DeFi). The 2008 crisis holds lessons that can help industry and regulators chart a better path and avoid repeating the mistakes of the past."

IoT uses electronic sensors connected directly to assets to gather and report critical information to remote locations. This permits continuous, real-time and accurate monitoring of pipelines, vessels and tank farms.