Farmers Embracing AI: A Smarter Farm Diary Begins

Myeong-gu Kang, a 67 old farmer, has been cultivating tomatoes for the past 40 years. He understands that the sharp temperature swings between day and night in Hamyang County, along with its fertile soil, create the perfect conditions for producing sweet, high-quality tomatoes. 

“To grow premium tomatoes, you need the right environment—big temperature differences and nutrient-rich soil,” he says. 

To fully leverage these environmental advantages, Kang runs greenhouses, adjusting temperature and humidity to ensure the best possible harvest. 

Inside the greenhouse, tomato vines stretch neatly along tightly woven trellises, each branch adorned with a delightful mix of green and red tomatoes. Sunlight filters through the plastic of greenhouse, the air is filled with the fresh, earthy aroma of ripening tomatoes. 

Myeong-gu Kang gently runs his fingers over the tomato leaves, reflecting on his lifetime spent with nature. Yet, he admits that in recent years, farming has become increasingly challenging. 

The Reality of Farming: Labor Shortages and Climate Change 

Hamyang County has long been known for its diverse agricultural production, and in recent years, greenhouse-based tomato farming has gained momentum. However, Kang faces two major obstacles: labor shortages and climate change. 

“Farming is tough, and young people aren’t as interested in it anymore,” he says. “Even those who are, hesitate because the initial costs are high, and there’s not enough labor to go around.” 

Maintaining consistent temperature and humidity levels in the greenhouse is also becoming more difficult. 

“I used to rely on experience to adjust the temperature, but these days, the weather is so unpredictable that it’s much harder. A sudden heatwave can cause tomatoes to soften too quickly, while an unexpected cold snap hinders fruit from forming. And pests? You never know when they’ll show up.” 

To track his farming activities, Kang diligently writes daily logs, documenting weather conditions, pesticide use, and fertilizer applications. For years, he wrote everything by hand, later switching to a notebook application on his phone, compiling reports at the end of each month.  

“I used to jot things down quickly on my phone and organize them later. Before that, I wrote everything manually.” 

However, the more complicated farming became, the more difficult it was to keep up with detailed daily logs. The need for a more structured, data-driven approach was clear, but he didn’t attempt to adopt a new system.

Learning AI for a Smarter Farm Diary 

Recently, Kang experienced Microsoft Copilot, an AI-powered tool that could streamline farm record-keeping and optimize daily logs. 

“I’ve heard about AI but never imagined it could actually be used in farming.” 

Through Hamyang County’s Smart Village initiative, Kang learned how to digitally organize his farm data in real-time and adopted more efficient ways of working. 

Data-Driven Farming with Copilot, Systematic and Easier 

With climate change affecting agriculture more than ever, Kang finds Copilot’s ability to track crop health and detect anomalies particularly useful. He believes that storing data will help him make future decisions in farming. 

“If AI organizes all my data, I can instantly compare this year’s results with that of previous years. This will allow me to farm in a much more systematic way.” 

After learning how to use Copilot, Kang now feels more confident in managing his farm efficiently. He is eager to integrate AI into his daily routine and see how it enhances overall productivity.

Hamyang County’s Smart Farming Initiative: Enhancing Agricultural Safety with GPS and AI 

Hamyang County is actively promoting digital transformation in agriculture, implementing GPS-based tracking systems to improve farm safety and efficiency.

Yeon-Soo Choi, a manager overseeing the Smart Village initiative, is responsible for managing the GPS-equipped farm machinery rentals and maintenances. 

“After GPS installation, farm-related accidents have significantly decreased,” he says. 

Currently, 70% of farmers in Hamyang use GPS tracking systems. Farmers can either install GPS devices on their own equipment or rent GPS-enabled machinery from the county. 

“At first, some farmers were reluctant to install GPS, but once they saw the safety benefits, demand skyrocketed. Now, more and more farmers are requesting additional installations.” 

He also explains that the GPS-based system goes beyond simple location tracking—it helps farmers monitor their working environment in real-time and detect potential hazards in advance. If a risk is detected during machinery operation, an automatic alert is sent out, enabling immediate action if necessary. As a result, more farmers are embracing the system for safety. 

“In the past, accidents often went unnoticed for hours. Now, it enables instant responds and minimize damage.” 

He became even more hopeful as the GPS-based farm machinery system, initially started to help farmers create a safer farming environment, expanded to embrace AI. 

“Smart farming in Hamyang is just beginning. By integrating AI and digital technologies, we are creating a safer and more efficient working environment for farmers. As data analysis becomes more sophisticated and more farmers gain AI expertise, we can expect significant improvements in both agricultural productivity and sustainability.” 

The Future of Agriculture: AI for Everyone to Learn and Use 

For Kang, tools like Microsoft Copilot represent a major shift in farming, opening new opportunities for modernized agriculture. He envisions a future where remote farm management through AI-powered smartphone apps becomes the norm. 

“This is the direction farming needs to go. With Copilot, I no longer worry about missing records, and everything is structured far more systematically. It’s easier than I expected, and I’ll recommend it to others. In the past, I had to physically stay on the farm all day, but now I can oversee remotely. As AI continues to develop, I believe farming will become efficient.” 

Kang is now committed to learning and applying AI-driven solutions, embracing the new possibilities they bring. 

Choi underscores the importance of expanding AI learning opportunities to farmers as smart farming solutions take root in the agricultural sector. He predicts that as farmers become more adept at utilizing AI, data-driven agriculture will expand, enabling more precise decision-making, which in turn will significantly enhance productivity and efficiency. 

“Currently, we analyze farm diaries each spring for each farm. With AI tools like Copilot, these records will evolve from simple logs into sophisticated, data-driven insights. Instead of manually compiling repetitive annual reports, farmers will have access to more precise and practical data. They will be able to instantly search for the information they need and receive tailored recommendations on the best farming practices.” 

Hamyang County believes that AI-powered smart farming will transform today’s agriculture and ensures that farmers have the opportunity to learn and use this technology. By combining AI with their years of experience, farmers are discovering new ways to boost productivity and hence stepping forward into a smarter future for farming.

This is my first experience with AI, and I hope AI could scan crops and predict potential risks in the future as the technology develops.

Kang is hopeful that as more farmers get the opportunities to learn AI, the technology will become even more practical in everyday farming. Like automated farm logs, he envisions AI-powered cameras that can analyze crop conditions and predict diseases, making agriculture even smarter.

In the farms of Hamyang, the seeds of this transformation are just beginning to sprout.