Precision Agriculture Essentials: From Field Basics to Cost-Smart Decisions

By the end, learners can:

1. Explain what plants need to grow and why soil pH matters.

2. Describe safe, basic use of pesticides and herbicides.

3. Explain how GNSS helps farmers apply the right input in the right place.

4. Track farm costs and benefits (inputs, application, yield) and make a basic ROI decision with simple spreadsheets/logbooks.

Key topics

• Plant needs: light, water, nutrients, air, temperature

• Soil texture & structure, pH (why 6–7 often ideal)

• Inputs: seed, fertilizer, soil amendments (lime, compost)

• Basic terms: variable-rate, zone, input, output, yield

Key topics

• Definitions: pesticide, herbicide, active ingredient, label

• Resistance basics, targeted application, safety (PPE)

• Precision tie-in: reduce waste/cost with spot & timed spraying

Key topics

• What GNSS is (GPS, GLONASS, etc.), accuracy levels

• Use cases: guidance lines, section control, variable-rate

• Impact on input costs (less overlap) and yield uniformity

Key topics

• Basic farm accounts: inputs, operations, outputs

• Simple ledgers: Input Log, Application Log, Yield & Sales Log

• Cost models: cost/ha, cost per kg produced

• ROI & break-even for a precision upgrade (e.g., GNSS or better sprayer)

• Depreciation (simple straight-line) for equipment

• Decision worksheet: “Buy, Rent, or Not Yet?”

Formulas (use in worksheets)

• Cost per hectare = Total input cost ÷ Hectares treated

• Break-even yield gain (kg/ha) = Extra cost per ha ÷ Price per kg

• ROI (%) = ((Benefit – Cost) ÷ Cost) × 100

• Annual depreciation = (Purchase price – Salvage value) ÷ Useful life (years)

Hands-on

• Fill three logs for a sample maize field (seed, fertilizer, spray)

• Build a one-page ROI test for buying a GNSS light-bar