Ministry of Rural Development has recently signed a MoU with the IIT Delhi to formalize their partnership in applications of geospatial technology and artificial intelligence.

How this technology will Reshaping India’s Farming Practices?

1. Member (Agriculture) of NITI Aayog state that growth in agricultural production over the last 50 years or more has been mainly because of technological factors.
2. India’s net sown area rising by just 3.3% – from 135.4 lh to 139.9 lh – between 1961-62 and 2019-20, as against 14% from 1950-51 to 1961-62.
3. Technology enables more efficient use of production factors, resulting in higher yields.

Role of Generative AI in Agriculture

1.  providing farmers with real-time insights and recommendations based on vast amounts of data
2.  can analyze soil conditions, weather patterns, and historical data to predict optimal planting dates, irrigation schedules, and fertilizer applications
3. identify genetic traits associated with desirable crop characteristics, such as improved yield, disease resistance, and drought tolerance 

Role of Machine Learning in Agriculture

1.  amplify decisions on what crop species to grow and what activities to perform during the growing season.
2. Tech-wise, crop yield is used as a dependent variable when making predictions. 
3. Based on the inputs, ML algorithms like neural networks and multiple linear regression produce forecasts.

challenges are associated with using technology in Agriculture

1. Lack of Awareness and Understanding:  NABARD revealed that 60% of farmers lack the technical knowledge to adopt modern agricultural practices.
2. Adopting modern agricultural technologies often requires significant upfront investment
3. Regional Disparity and Inequalities
4. Lack of Training and Localized Assistance

Government Initiatives:

1. YES-TECH: technology-driven yield estimation system at the Gram Panchayat level.
2. Sensor-based Smart Agriculture (SENSAGRI):  drones are used to collect precious information and transfer the data to farmers in real-time.

Way Forward

1. Awareness creation among farmers
2. Strengthening Training and Extension services
3. Promoting Sustainable Agricultural Practices

Emerging Technologies have the potential to transform the agriculture sector  towards low-input, high-efficiency and sustainable to increase agricultural productivity, improve farmer livelihoods, and ensure food security and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG indicator 2.4.).