Image Source: GreenStories
Digital Innovation: Connecting Farmers to Information, Services, and MarketsOne of the key aspects of technology in agriculture is digital innovation, which refers to the use of digital technologies, such as mobile phones, internet, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and big data, to provide information, services, and markets to farmers. Digital innovation can help farmers access timely and accurate information on weather, crop prices, pest and disease management, and best practices. It can also help farmers access quality inputs, such as seeds, fertilizers, and agrochemicals, at affordable prices and convenient delivery. It can also help farmers access financial services, such as credit, insurance, and payments, at lower costs and risks. It can also help farmers access new and diverse markets, such as e-commerce platforms, contract farming, and traceability systems, at higher prices and transparency.
Digital innovation in agriculture is growing rapidly in India, with more than 1,000 Agri tech start-ups operating in various segments of the value chain2. Some of the examples of digital innovation in agriculture are:
- Krishi Network, a social media platform for farmers, which provides crop advisory, input procurement, and market linkages to more than 10 million farmers across India. ·
- CropIn, a cloud-based platform for farm management, which uses remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and big data to provide crop monitoring, yield prediction, and risk assessment to more than 6 million farmers across India and 52 other countries. ·
- EM3 AgriServices, a farm equipment rental platform, which provides on-demand access to tractors, harvesters, and other machinery to more than 100,000 farmers across India.
- AgroStar, a direct-to-farmer e-commerce platform, which provides quality inputs, such as seeds, fertilizers, and agrochemicals, to more than 1.5 million farmers across India.
- Samunnati, a financial intermediary for agriculture, which provides credit, insurance, and payments to more than 3 million farmers and 1,500 farmer organizations across India.
Smart Farming: Enhancing Productivity, Quality, and Sustainability
Another aspect of technology in agriculture is smart farming, which refers to the use of advanced technologies, such as sensors, drones, robots, and precision agriculture, to enhance the productivity, quality, and sustainability of farming. Smart farming can help farmers monitor and control various aspects of their crops, such as soil health, water availability, nutrient status, pest and disease incidence, and growth stage. It can also help farmers optimize their inputs, such as seeds, fertilizers, and agrochemicals, based on the specific needs of each crop and field. It can also help farmers automate and mechanize various tasks, such as sowing, weeding, harvesting, and grading, reducing labour and drudgery. It can also help farmers adopt climate-smart and eco-friendly practices, such as drip irrigation, mulching, organic farming, and agroforestry, reducing water and energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Smart farming in India is still in its nascent stage, but there are some promising examples of its adoption and impact. Some of the examples of smart farming in India are:
- Ninjacart, a fresh produce supply chain platform, which uses sensors, drones, and artificial intelligence to monitor the quality and traceability of fruits and vegetables from farm to fork, serving more than 60,000 farmers and 17,000 retailers across India. ·
- Fasal, an AI-powered platform for horticulture, which uses sensors and mobile phones to provide real-time and personalized crop advisory to more than 25,000 farmers across India. ·
- Tessol, a cold chain logistics company, which uses thermal energy storage and internet of things to provide reliable and affordable refrigeration solutions to more than 1,000 farmers and agribusinesses across India.
- Stellapps, a dairy technology company, which uses sensors, cloud computing, and big data to provide end-to-end solutions for milk production, procurement, and processing, serving more than 2 million farmers and 200 dairy cooperatives across India. ·
- Gramophone, a precision farming platform, which uses soil testing, satellite imagery, and artificial intelligence to provide customized crop plans and input recommendations to more than 500,000 farmers across India.
Conclusion
Technology in agriculture is a powerful and innovative force that can transform the agricultural landscape and impact the lives of millions of farmers in India. By using digital technologies, such as mobile phones, internet, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and big data, farmers can access information, services, and markets that can improve their decision making, efficiency, and profitability. By using advanced technologies, such as sensors, drones, robots, and precision agriculture, farmers can enhance their productivity, quality, and sustainability of farming, reducing their environmental footprint and increasing their resilience. Technology in agriculture can also create new opportunities for value addition, market linkages, and rural entrepreneurship, generating income and employment for the rural masses. Technology in agriculture can thus help India achieve its twin goals of doubling farmers’ income and ensuring food security for its growing population.
