PRECISION AGRICULTURE

An information and technology-based farm management system identifies, analyses and manages variability in fields by conducting crop production practices at the right place and time and in the right way, for optimum profitability, sustainability and protection of the land resource.

Precision farming is an approach where inputs are utilised in precise amounts to get increased average yields, compared to traditional cultivation techniques. In India, one major problem is the small field size. More than 58 per cent of operational holdings in the country have size less than one hectare (ha). Only in the states of Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana and Gujarat do more than 20 per cent of agricultural lands have an operational holding size of more than four ha.

Sustainable PA is this century’s most valuable innovation in farm management that is based on using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This is the most recent innovation technology based on sustainable agriculture and healthy food production and it consists of profitability and increasing production, economic efficiency and the reduction of side effects on the environment.

WHY PRECISION FARMING

§  To increase agriculture productivity.

§  Prevents soil degradation.

§  Reduction of chemical application in crop production.

§  Efficient use of water resources.

§  Dissemination of modern farm practices to improve quality, quantity and reduced cost of production.

§  Developing favourable attitudes.

§  Precision farming changing the socio-economic status of farmers.

ADVANTAGES

§  Agronomical perspective.

§  Technical perspective.

§  Environmental perspective.

§  Economic perspective.

§  Precision farming enables climate-smart agri-business.

Digital Advisory Services (DAS) are either part of the offering of input providers or stand-alone for profit, typically start-up platforms. The main barriers to DAS adoption are limited digital infrastructure and illiteracy, areas where India has significant advantages over most of Sub-Saharan Africa.

§  Drip irrigation

§  Solar pumps

§  Soil and crop monitoring

§  Technology

Technologies include a vast array of tools of hardware, software and equipment

§  Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers.

§  Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS).

§  Geographic information systems (GIS).

§  Remote sensing.

§  Variable Rate Applicator.

§  Combine harvesters with yield monitors.

DRAWBACKS OF PRECISION AGRICULTURE

§  High cost.

§  Lack of technical expertise knowledge and technology.

§  Not applicable or difficult/costly for small land holdings.

§  Heterogeneity of cropping systems and market imperfections.

POLICY APPROACH TO PROMOTE PRECISION FARMING

§  Identify the niche areas for the promotion of crop specific precision farming.

§  Creation of multidisciplinary teams involving agricultural scientists in various fields, engineers, manufacturers and economists to study the overall scope of precision agriculture.

§  Provide complete technical backup support to the farmers to develop pilots or models, which can be replicated on a large scale.

§  Pilot study should be conducted on farmers’ fields to show the results of precision agriculture implementation.

§  Creating awareness among farmers about consequences of applying imbalanced doses of farm inputs like irrigation, fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides.