Sensor based use of drone application in agriculture is need of hour: MoA& FW Joint Secretary
Author: BI Bureau
New Delhi: As the technology advances in India, we will soon have sensor-based use of drone applications for which we all stakeholders have to jointly collaborate. The ecosystem is now in place, and it is up to the industry and Start-ups to leverage this eco-system, said Shomita Biswas, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA& FW).
Addressing the 2nd edition international summit on ‘Artificial Intelligence and Digital Applications in Agriculture’ organized by FICCI, Biswas said: “Once the sensor-based applications of drones start then we might not require huge data generation. Currently, we don’t have a sensor based targeted approach of application of pesticides on nutrients through drones.”
She further stated that in terms of mechanization, India is 40 percent mechanized country, but we now need some parameters by which we can also assess our technological progress as well including use of drones, AI, IoT, etc. She also urged various universities and institutes working on judicious use of pesticides through drones to share the data and research findings with all stakeholders.
Highlighting the importance of startups, Biswas stated that the Start-ups should work on solutions at lower cost for the farmers along with providing good after sales service. “I urge the Start-ups to come forward and provide these services. The government agencies should also involve Start-ups to find solutions for certain services,” she noted.
Dr V Praveen Rao, Vice Chancellor of Prof Jayashankar Telangana State Agriculture University (PJTSAU) while highlighting the initiatives of the university stated that in the last three years have given a lot of insights into drones. We look at drones in a cyber, physical management cycle. “Due to labour scarcity, we are now seeding rice directly through drones. We are introducing high intensity planting of cotton in the state, and we want to use drones for this as well,” he added.
Dr SK Malhotra, former Agriculture Commissioner, Chairman, CIB&RC and Project Director, DKMA, said that we are now focusing on smart farming. There are many drone agri startups who are impacting agriculture with appropriate solutions and many more likely to join as this is an upcoming project. “We need to provide bio-solutions to the farmers if we have to make judicious use of consumption of pesticides,” he asserted.
TR Kesavan, Chairman, FICCI National Agriculture Committee and Group President, TAFE Ltd, said that drones are going to change the way Indian agriculture will work and technology in agriculture will make it easy for everyone to access. “Agricultural technology which can meet the needs of the farmer is going to be a big difference as far as India and the world is concerned,” he added. /BI/
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The exports of agricultural commodities from March to June 2020 shot up by 23.24 percent on-year to Rs 25,552.7 crores.
As the economy comes to a standstill amid the coronavirus-led lockdown, India’s agriculture sector has taken the baton of economic growth in its hands. The exports of agricultural commodities from March to June 2020 shot up by 23.24 percent on-year to Rs 25,552.7 crores, according to the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. The government said that self-reliant agriculture is critical for the goal of an Atmanirbhar Bharat and for this, agricultural export is extremely important as besides earning foreign exchange for the country, the exports help farmers, producers, and exporters to take advantage of the wider international market and increase their income.
The surge in exports has also resulted in increased production in the farm sector by increasing coverage area and productivity. The share of India’s agricultural exports and imports in the world agriculture trade in 2017 was 2.27 percent and 1.90 percent, respectively. Even during the difficult time of pandemic lockdown, India took care not to disturb the world food supply chain and continued to export, the government said.
Ministry of Agriculture has prepared a comprehensive action plan for the promotion of Agri trade; the twofold approach focuses on boosting Agri Export with emphasis on value addition and action plan for Import Substitution. Recently, the Agriculture sector has witnessed a series of reforms, giving more choices to the farmers to sell their produce at competitive rates.
To mention a few, the Export strategy focuses on the export promotion of fast-evolving niche markets of Wellness food/ Health-conscious food/nutraceuticals, Development of “Brand India” in campaign mode to help penetration into new foreign markets and of new products which automatically translates into higher value realization, Gulf countries have been identified as focus destination to increase the market share which is a strong market for India though presently India caters to only 10-12% share of their total imports. A product-market matrix has been made containing a list of products of strength that could be expanded in new geographies and a list of known markets which can be introduced with newer products.
At the behest of the Department of Agricultural Cooperation & Farmers’ Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture, product-specific Export Promotion Forums have been created to lead Agri exports to new heights. Each Export Promotion Forum shall be having exporters of the related commodity as its members along with official members representing concerned Ministries/Departments of the Central and State Governments. Chairman APEDA shall be the chairman of each of these forums. The forums will meet at least once every two months, to discuss recommendations on issues pertaining to the export.
The recommendations of the forum will be placed in the product committee / Authority of APEDA. The Forum will keep in close contact with the concerned organization of the Ministry of Agriculture such as MIDH, Extension, NPPO, etc., DGFT, Ministry of Civil Aviation, MoFPI, etc. to further the interest of agricultural export.
