Why in news?

The Centre is planning to earmark Rs 6,000 crore to promote precision farming. In this regard, a Smart Precision Horticulture Programme will be launched by the Union Ministry of Agriculture under the existing Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) scheme.

What’s in today’s article?

• Precision farming
• Precision farming (PF) in India
• Proposal to launch scheme to boost precision farming

Precision farming

• About
  • Precision farming, also known as precision agriculture, is a modern agricultural practice that uses advanced technology like GPS, sensors, data analytics, drones, and remote sensing to monitor and manage crop production with high accuracy.
  • The goal is to optimize inputs (like water, fertilizers, and pesticides) based on site-specific conditions to maximize yield, minimize waste, and reduce environmental impact.
• Benefits
  • Increased Productivity: By monitoring field variability, farmers can tailor inputs to meet the specific needs of crops, leading to improved yield and efficiency.
  • Resource Optimization: Precision farming ensures judicious use of water, fertilizers, and pesticides, reducing waste and lowering production costs.
  • Environmental Benefits: Reducing the use of chemicals minimizes soil and water contamination, promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
  • Risk Management: Through real-time data collection and analysis, farmers can make informed decisions, reducing risks related to unpredictable weather and crop diseases.
• Challenges
  • High Initial Cost: Implementing precision farming technologies requires significant investment in tools and infrastructure, which can be a barrier for small farmers.
  • Technical Expertise: Farmers need to be trained to use precision tools, interpret data, and implement the findings in their agricultural practices.
  • Digital Divide: Access to reliable internet connectivity, especially in rural areas, limits the adoption of precision farming in many regions.
  • Data Management: Processing and interpreting large amounts of data requires specialized software and skills, which are not always available to small-scale farmers.

Precision farming (PF) in India

• Context
  • As a modern approach to farming, precision agriculture focuses on all aspects of resources (soil, water, nutrients) required for farming.
  • However, in India, the practice is so far developed for nutrient-use efficiency (NUE) and water-use efficiency (WUE).
  • PF in the Indian landscape is yet to become an integral part of mainstream farming systems. 
• Steps taken
  • The National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), which focus on water-use efficiency and soil health monitoring.
  • The government has also promoted the use of drones, soil health cards, and satellite-based monitoring.
  • The government has also announced a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for agriculture that will provide farmers with access to technology and information.
  • PF technology is being developed and disseminated through the 22 Precision Farming Development Centres in the country.
  • The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), launched during Covid-19, has provisions for financing infrastructure projects for smart and precision agriculture.
  • Also, funds are released to states/UTs for projects involving use of AI and machine learning, under schemes like the National e-Governance Plan in Agriculture.
• Area Under Precision Farming
  • Precision farming in India is still at a nascent stage, with a limited area under coverage, mostly in states like Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh.
  • The technology has been mainly adopted in large commercial farms and regions with advanced irrigation facilities.
• Challenges in India
  • Fragmented Land Holdings: The small size of farms in India poses a challenge for the large-scale implementation of precision farming technologies.
  • Cost and Awareness: Small farmers often lack awareness and resources to invest in high-tech solutions.
  • Infrastructure Gaps: Lack of robust digital infrastructure in rural India limits the reach of precision farming tools.

Proposal to launch scheme to boost precision farming

• Scheme to promote precision farming
  • The Indian government is planning to allocate Rs 6,000 crore to promote precision farming.
    • It will utilize smart technologies like IoT, AI, drones, and data analytics to enhance productivity and resource efficiency while reducing environmental impacts.
  • The Union Ministry of Agriculture is working on launching a Smart Precision Horticulture Programme under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH).
• Coverage
  • The scheme will cover 15,000 acres of land in five years from 2024-25 to 2028-29 and is expected to benefit about 60,000 farmers.
• Role of Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) in promoting precision farming
  • Currently, the AIF has provisions for financing infrastructure projects for smart and precision agriculture.
  • Under AIF, individual farmers as well as farmers’ communities such as Farmer Producer Organization, Primary Agricultural Credit Societies and SHGs are eligible for loans with interest subvention of 3% for using technological solutions in farm practices.
  • These practices include:
    • farm/ harvest automation;
    • purchase of drones, putting up specialised sensors on field;
    • use of blockchain and AI in agriculture;
    • remote sensing and Internet of Things (IoT).
• Collaboration with other countries to promote precision farming in India
  • The government is also collaborating with countries like the Netherlands and Israel for advanced farming solutions, with a plan to establish 100 Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in five years.
  • Already, 32 Indo-Israel CoEs have been set up in 14 states.