Digital Technologies such as ICT, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, IoT etc. can play a transformative role in modernising agriculture, make it more Industrialised and usher in constructive disruption.
The Government has adopted number of digital initiatives such as E-NAM, AGMARKNET, ATMA, Kisan Call Centres, Kisan Suvidha app etc. These initiatives can reduce the input costs, enhance productivity and increase prices received by farmers.
However, adoption of digital technologies faces multi-faceted challenges:
- Fragmented landholdings reduce the scope of technology scale up, leading to poor cost effectiveness.
- Poor affordability: High-priced technology is unaffordable for small and marginal farmers.
- Long gestation period: Adoption and penetration of technology is slow process.
- Lack of enabling policy: Adoption of technologies through subsidy is yet to gain momentum.
- Poor skill sets among the farmers make adoption of technologies difficult.
- Other reasons include poor extension, lack of access to credit, poor internet penetration etc.
The Dalwai panel has highlighted Digital technologies as the key enabler for doubling Income levels of the farmers. Going forward, these constraints and challenges should be addressed at the earliest so that Agriculture sector reaps the benefits of ICT.
ROLE OF AGRITECH
Agritech is the use of technology in agriculture, horticulture, and aquaculture with the aim of improving yield, efficiency, and profitability. Agritech can be products, services or applications derived from agriculture that improve various input/output processes. Examples include Mobile applications, weather forecasts, drones, Use of ICT in agriculture etc.
According to NASSCOM, Agritech can bring in innovation in agriculture leading to its comprehensive transformation:
- Access to Inputs: E-commerce Mobile apps provide farmers with access to agricultural inputs at doorsteps. Farmers would also understand best input product to increase yield. Example: BharatRohan
- Increased Mechanisation through Uber-like apps such as Goldfarm
- Access to Loans through apps such as JaiKisan.
- Resource Maximization: IoT based platforms such as Fasal use AI and Big data to optimally utilise water, fertilisers etc.
- Enhancing Productivity: NITI Aayog’s pilot project on Precision Agriculture using AI for increasing crop productivity.
- Agricultural Marketing : Apps such as Ninjacart would streamline supply chain by connecting farmers directly with customers.
Keeping in mind these advantages, states such as Maharashtra and Karnataka have set up separate funds to boost agritech sector. There is a need to upscale these efforts at national level to optimally harness agritech.