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HomePosts Tagged "Federation of Seed Industry of India and Alliance for Agri Innovation"
Agrotech, India

Use of drones is a key component of the Centre’s mission of promoting digital agriculture to strengthen farming sector

Drones are becoming famous in every aspect of life—from social media reels to shipment delivery to traffic monitoring. So how can agriculture stay away? Drones have become a crucial agent for the rapid transformation of the agriculture sector worldwide. And India is no exception to it. The use of drones is a key component of the central government’s mission of promoting digital agriculture to strengthen the farming sector. State governments too are adopting it with vigour as they are experimenting with drones in farming and promoting their use.

Artificial Intelligence enabled drones are used for precision farming that increases productivity and thus farm income. Drones have multi-faceted uses. They make farm operations faster and more efficient. They also help farmers to save significant money by making optimum use of fertilisers and pesticides and by ensuring uniform sowing of seeds. Spraying chemicals is a time-consuming process and it poses a health hazard. Drones can fly at low height (1-3 metre) over the crops, which make the spraying of nutrients and pesticides effective and efficient, as well as allow farmers to assess standing crops through cameras. All this not just facilitates higher productivity but also brings down the expenses on crop inputs.

Farmers in the US, who grew corn, soybean and wheat could save around $1.3 billion every year by incorporating drones in their farm operations. There are reports that drone-led precision farming can reduce input cost by 18-20 per cent while enhancing yield by 30-100 per cent in India. Drones have shown they can be beneficial in planting seeds in the Indo-Gangetic plains, where the rice-wheat cropping system is prevalent.

Farmers can make crop surveillance of the field using infrared cameras and get real-time information about crop growth, infestation, and requirement of inputs. This helps farmers in responding to any problem sooner and take active measures to nip it in the bud. Applications of drones can also be used for mapping water spread areas, pest infestation, and livestock farming besides assisting farmers in adopting good agricultural practices (GAP). Crops can be contamination-free, making them get good export prices.

Government support and encouragement for drones was evident when the Prime Minister of India inaugurated India’s biggest Drone Festival – Bharat Drone Mahotsav in May 2022.

Prime Minister called the use of drones a “milestone” for Indian agriculture and expressed confidence it would create more opportunities. The government of India has extended huge subsidies to different agriculture-related instructors, farmers producers organisations (FPO) and custom hiring centres (CHC) for purchasing and promoting drones under a new scheme of Kisan Drone. These drones are helpful for government agencies also as they can be used for crop assessment of production estimates or to process farm insurance, digitisation of land records, and can expedite claim processing and bring transparency.

Many state governments have shown interest such as the Andhra Pradesh government has decided to procure 200 Kisan Drones, which would solve the problem of labour shortage and health hazards. As excessive rains flooded farms, Karnataka has decided to use drones for crop assessment to bring transparency. Tamil Nadu too has roped in drones as a part of the digital intervention to make agriculture and farming profitable and sustainable.Gujarat, Rajasthan too, have joined the journey of digital revolution.

Drones were used in 2020 to ward off locus attacks, saving millions of hectares of farmland. Farmers are getting first-hand experience in operating drones and their usefulness such as testing the moisture of soil, which is not possible through traditional ways. State governments are confident that drones will be game-changer not only for farmers but for the entire agri economy.

Despite knowing the importance of technology, our agriculture did not adopt it for years. However, we can see a gain in momentum now. Both central and state governments are keen on embracing it. The involvement of agri start-ups, FPOs and CHCs in drone technology will allow farmers especially those financially poor to try new technological solutions. As drones become affordable and easily accessible, more and more farmers will start using them. Moreover, drones can create employment opportunities in rural parts, especially for the tech-savvy youth and bring them back to farms. As they say, artificial intelligence is set to transform the world, drones are going to change the face of farming in the 21st century.

Use of drones is a key component

Foodgrains, Interaction, Opinions

Dr Shivendra Bajaj, Executive Director, Federation of Seed Industry of India and Alliance for Agri Innovation

The global wave of consuming ‘superfoods’ has taken Indians in its fold too. People are going back to the old treasures like amla (Indian Gooseberry), pumpkin seeds, berries, which are said to be rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals. These superfoods have multiple benefits as their consumption helps in weight loss, promotes heart health, control blood pressure, prevent ageing as well as reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases. Superfood markets are gaining considerable space in the food market due to the rising awareness of leading a naturally healthier lifestyle. People especially the youth are ready to spend significant money on health and nutrition and superfoods can contribute towards achieving that. 

Superfoods are an assorted mix of various crops such as leafy vegetables, grains and cereals, berries, seeds, and seafood and dairy products, which have showcased several health benefits including reducing the chances of cancers. It is modern consciousness that has been the driving force for the consumption of superfoods. But it saw exponential growth during the Covid-19 pandemic when healthy home-cooked eating took the centre stage and strengthened the impression that superfoods have huge potential to keep infections away. Avocado, kiwi, blueberries and cranberries, oats, kale, chia seeds, are some of the famous global superfoods. Indian contribution to the international superfoods has been identified such as moringa, Jamun (Indian blackberry) amla, ashwagandha (winter cherry), buckwheat, flax seeds, forest honey, millets like ragi among others. The list is growing as different superfoods are seen as a solution to address different deficiencies and health problems. 

The global superfoods market size in 2020 was USD 172 billion and it is expected to reach USD 287 billion by 2027. In India too, the market is growing and it is expected to see a growth of 6 per cent during 2021-26. Superfoods have become a lucrative market due to their demand and profit margin, which is three to four times higher when compared to other foods. Global brands, supermarkets, cafes, fitness clubs are bringing innovations in the use of superfoods in their products such as daily nutrition mixes, sports nutrition supplements, smoothie mixes, meal replacement drinks, nutraceuticals, daily protein. Turmeric latte is one such example.    

Internationally famous superfoods like quinoa and chia are actually from Peru and Bolivia but they have found takers in urban areas in India. Farmers in Rajasthan, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are earning big money by cultivating these superfoods. Quinoa has been adopted into Indian cuisine and is being used in various snacks such as idli, payasam, poha, and even in protein bars, cookies and beer. 

Indian millets too are identified as superfoods and are set to get global recognition. The Government of India is encouraging the cultivation of millets that can help secure dietary, nutritional and economic security. Millets are rich sources of minerals like calcium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium, besides containing appreciable amounts of dietary fibre and vitamins. Millet production in India had declined over time due to changes in consumption patterns and replacement by wheat and rice. Farmers in India can easily switch back to millets. 

The Indian government has asked corporates to brand and promote Indian millets. These superfoods can ensure higher income for farmers through exports. Similarly, another local superfood moringa has risen to fame for being rich in calcium and is in great demand worldwide. Moringa is traditionally used in the South Indian dish Sambhar but has been adopted in Indian drinks. The superfood market is still underrated in India but there is going to be sharp growth due to the growing awareness about healthy food and new trends of switching to veganism and vegetarianism. Indian farmers can make farming a profitable business through superfoods cultivation as most of them need low inputs, less water and withstand harsh weather conditions. 

Dr Shivendra Bajaj, Executive Director, Federation of