Climate change, increasing populations, competing demands on land for production of biofuels and declining soil quality are challenging global food security. Finding sustainable solutions requires bold new approaches and integration of knowledge from diverse fields, such as materials science and informatics. The convergence of precision agriculture, in which farmers respond in real time to changes in crop growth with nanotechnology and artificial intelligence, offers exciting opportunities for sustainable food production. Coupling existing models for nutrient cycling and crop productivity with nanoinformatics approaches to optimize targeting, uptake, delivery, nutrient capture and long-term impacts on soil microbial communities will enable design of nanoscale agrochemicals that combine optimal safety and functionality profiles. This Perspective discusses the applications of nanotechnology and artificial intelligence in agriculture, highlighting the opportunities and challenges of using these technologies to achieve sustainable and precision agriculture.

Research has found that using nanotechnology and artificial intelligence (AI) in agriculture could offer a practical solution to the challenges threatening global food security. The study, carried out by researchers at the UK's University of Birmingham, investigates how'precision agriculture' would allow farmers to respond in real time to changes in crop growth using technology. 'Precision agriculture' refers to farming methods which measure and respond to variability in crops, allowing management of land with the goal of optimising efficiency and reducing waste. In this case, AI and nanotechnology could be used to help both crops and soil perform better. Climate change, increasing populations, competing demands on land for production of biofuels and declining soil quality have all made it more and more difficult to feed global citizens.

For instance, a roadmap has been developed to combine smart and nano-enabled agricultural practices combining AI and machine learning to …