India's Rs 6,000-Crore Initiative to Promote Precision Farming

What’s in today’s article?

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

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.

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.

Q.1. What is the Rs 6,000-crore precision farming scheme?
The Indian government plans to invest Rs 6,000 crore in promoting precision farming. This includes smart technologies like AI, IoT, and drones to optimize agricultural inputs and increase productivity while reducing environmental impact.

Q.2. What are the benefits of precision farming in India?

Precision farming improves productivity by using site-specific data to optimize resources like water and fertilizers. It reduces waste, lowers costs, and minimizes environmental damage, helping farmers manage risks from unpredictable conditions.