Context
The Indian government is set to invest ₹6,000 crore in precision farming, a modern agricultural practice that leverages advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), drones, and data analytics. This initiative aims to enhance crop yields, optimize resource use, and promote sustainable agricultural practices across the country. The funding will be implemented through a Smart Precision Horticulture Programme under the existing Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH).
What is Precision Farming?
Precision farming, or precision agriculture, is an application of information tools and technologies in agriculture for the analysis and control of production with great levels of detail. They have the ability to work as the field conditions in order to produce the maximum output with the minimum of inputs like water, fertilizer or pesticide. This method is therefore appropriate for use especially in large fields where uniform treatments are applied over large area despite the variations in the soils and the crops.
Key Technologies Involved
- Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI application algorithms process large amounts of data received from different sources, which helps farmers to make rational decisions on crop cultivation.
- Drones: Automation instruments such as sensors and cameras allow drones to compile airborne imagery and obtain updated information on crop conditions, moisture in the soil and presence of pests.
- Internet of Things (IoT): They gather data at the field level and even transmit in real time thus acting as an eye for continuous assessment of the environmental factors and crop performance.
- Data Analytics: The obtained data is then analyzed with the help of sophisticated instruments in order to provide clear, accurate patterns, which enable targeted measures to be provided according to the necessity.
Objectives of the Initiative
The ₹6,000 crore investment aims to achieve several key objectives:
- Increase Agricultural Productivity: As a result of eventual implementation of precision farming methods, the government aims at improving production yields. Researchers have estimated that by adopting precision farming, farmers can gain yields up to60 percent to 10 percent more as compared to other traditional methods of farming.
- Optimize Resource Use: It favors the conservation of water, fertilizers, and Pesticides through the efficient use of resources, hence cutting down the cost incurred by farmers.
- Sustainability: Precision farming is known to reduce the amounts of chemicals used in farming, and this makes it environmentally friendly in terms of resource utilization.
- Support Small Farmers: It is proposed to be implemented in the next five years from 2024-2029 to bring about change in the lives of 60,000 small and marginal farmers who are located in 15000 acres of land and cannot afford to get enhanced technology for the improvement of farming practices.
Implementation Strategy
Smart Precision Horticulture Programme
The Smart Precision Horticulture Programme will be launched under the MIDH scheme. Key features include:
- Coverage: It will take five years to complete in a programme that will oversee the coverage of 15000 acres of land and it will have effects directly on about 60000 farmers.
- Precision Farming Development Centres (PFDCs): Government has set up 22 PFDCs in the different states to pilot diverse technologies, which are relevant to local farming systems. Some of these centers will also play the role of research, training, and technology transfer.
- Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF): Smart agriculture’s infrastructural needs will thus be funded by the AIF. The individual farmers and the farmer groups can go for loans with interest subsidy on the technological interventions to be adopted on their farm.
Expected Benefits
- Enhanced Crop Yields: Implementing precision farming practices may enhance productivity of crops by very large measures. For example, research shows that micro irrigation enhances production of fruits crops by 42 % and vegetables by 52%.
- Cost Reduction: While the expenses of implementing the precision farming technologies can be considerably high in the beginning, in the long-run it makes more sense than wasting a lot of resources at the same time.
- Risk Mitigation: One of the benefits of using real-time data collection is making decisions that can help to minimize risks associated with volatile weather and pest invasions.
- Environmental Impact: It has been established that precision farming reduces the chemical inputs used to bring an improvement in resource usage and thus positively impacts on the environment.
Conclusion
The Indian government’s ₹6,000 crore investment in precision farming is a transformative step towards modernizing agriculture. By using AI, drones, and IoT, it aims to boost crop yields and promote sustainable practices, addressing food security amid climate change. Precision farming can enhance resilience and productivity, but challenges like costs, technical expertise, and digital access need to be addressed for successful implementation and significant rewards for India’s agriculture.
Source: The Indian Express