The agriculture industry is under pressure to enhance food production while adapting to technological advancements. Modern farming requires innovative solutions to enhance efficiency, improve productivity, and promote eco-friendly practices. To meet future demands, farms are expected to deploy smart solutions into their infrastructure.

At one point in history, around 45 out of every 50 people were involved in agriculture, mainly subsistence farming. Today, due to technological advancements, that number has dropped to about 12 in 50 globally. It has even dropped to just 1 in 50 in some parts of the Western world. Despite this shift, agriculture remains one of the world’s oldest and most essential industries. It has shaped civilisations and economies while sustaining global populations with food and vital resources.

Transforming Agriculture with Smart Connectivity

A leading company in the agricultural sector needed a smart farming system that would optimise their operation. Their goal was to stay competitive in an increasingly tech-driven industry. By employing smart technology for tasks such as crop health monitoring, precision resource management, and yield forecasting, they were able to increase productivity. The technology also helped them to reduce waste, and make more informed decisions. Using digital tools allowed the business to operate more efficiently and sustainably, improving profitability and operational stability.

 

Brainboxes’ range of Hero Ethernet 16 Port switches were central for transforming their workflow. The switches facilitated reliable communication between sensors and environmental control equipment. Farmers could connect devices such as soil moisture sensors and irrigation pumps across expansive fields. This created the infrastructure necessary for a fully connected smart agriculture system.

 

Seamless Integration with Legacy Equipment

The farm previously relied on legacy systems to manage critical agricultural processes. These included PLC-based controllers for livestock feeding management, standalone grain storage and drying units with limited data output, and manual irrigation control panels. Connecting newer digital control and monitoring devices with these older systems was difficult and costly. The Hero Ethernet switches’ versatile connectivity options eliminated the need for costly equipment upgrades or replacements. This allowed farmers to create a unified network that seamlessly connected older machinery with modern sensors, automated control units, and cloud-based dashboards. The easy integration of the switches not only improved real-time visibility and control, but also extended the lifespan of existing equipment.

Fibre-optic Uplinks for Long Distance Reliability

Maintaining reliable data transmission across expansive farmland presented logistical challenges due to long distances between weather stations, sensors, and control units. Traditional copper cabling has limitations such as a total span length (of 100m) and susceptibility to electromagnetic noise.

 

Brainboxes developed the SW-7617 and SW-7717, which have an SFP uplink to extend network reach with fibre optics. This helped the farmers to deliver stable, long distance, high-speed data transfer across the site. By installing Brainboxes Hero Ethernet switches into their smart farming system, the company enabled farmers to remotely monitor field conditions and automate responses based on live sensor data. The uninterrupted exchange of data supported precise environmental tracking and faster, data-driven decision-making in the field across agricultural operations of any scale.

Scalable Networking for Growing Agricultural Demands

As the operation grew, expanding the network to accommodate additional sensors and control units became increasingly complex. With their scalable design and SFP options, the Hero Ethernet switches provided the flexibility needed to add additional devices and network segments. The inclusion of SFP ports allows for fibre optic integration, enabling long-distance, high-speed connections across large or remote areas of the farm. This makes the system inherently futureproof as the farms grow or their networking needs change.

Additional devices and network segments can be added without needing a complete infrastructure overhaul. The higher port count of the switches allowed for a flexible network layout and device placement, simplifying expansion across the farm. This helped the farmers expand the smart farming system with minimal disruption.

 

To support the development of a cutting-edge smart farming solutions, Brainboxes supplied Hero Ethernet 16 Port switches to a leading agricultural company. These switches were integrated into the company’s smart agricultural system. This enabled their customers, farmers, to connect existing legacy structure with digital tools, improving their workflow and resource management. The scalability and flexibility of the switches also allowed the company to expand its smart system without costly redesigns, increasing profitability. As a result, the farmers gained real-time insights, automated key farming processes, and improved overall resource efficiency.