The utilization of technology can assist farmers and agri-tech in overcoming various challenges, including climate change and market fluctuations. However, small farmers have yet to fully embrace these affordable solutions. How can agri-tech startups in India effectively reach a broader audience?
The world is currently grappling with three interconnected problems: population growth and food insecurity, diminishing agricultural output due to global warming and climate changes, and increased greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector, exacerbating global warming. This cycle can only be broken through the adoption of “climate-smart agriculture,” an integrated approach encompassing cropland, livestock, forests, and fisheries to address food security and climate change challenges. Climate-smart agriculture aims to enhance food production, increase resilience against climate-related issues and market fluctuations, and reduce carbon emissions per unit of food produced by improving efficiency, reducing wastage, preventing deforestation, and exploring carbon sequestration methods.
Prominent Advantages with the Adoption of Agri-Tech
Emerging technologies are significantly transforming agricultural practices. Achieving timely crop predictions, managing crop diseases, and establishing integrated demand-supply systems are crucial for the growth of India’s agricultural economy. Intel’s CEO Pat Gelsinger identifies five key superpowers—ubiquitous computing, pervasive connectivity, cloud-to-edge infrastructure, sensing, and artificial intelligence—that can enable the implementation of sustainable and cost-effective farming practices, while promoting climate-smart agriculture among Indian farmers.
To facilitate the widespread adoption of smart farming practices, it is essential to enhance digital readiness among farmers and the associated ecosystem. This involves equipping farmers with new technological skills, fostering trust in new technologies, and empowering them to use these superpowers responsibly and effectively for socio-economic benefits. Shweta Khurana, Senior Director – APJ, Government Partnerships & Initiatives, Global Government Affairs at Intel, emphasizes the need for digital readiness to accelerate the adoption of smart farming practices.
Challenges Faced by the Agri-Tech Start-ups
Despite the numerous advantages offered by these technologies, the adoption of agri-tech at the grassroots level remains low. Rajesh Jalan, Chief Technology Officer at Cropin, acknowledges that while India is making progress in adopting smart farming technologies, the level of adoption is still low compared to the overall size of the farming sector and the number of farmers. Currently, these technologies are primarily utilized by corporate-supported farms, cooperatives, and large-scale farmers, while the majority of farmers have yet to fully embrace them.
Transitioning from mere automation to smartness is crucial in agriculture. While traditional wisdom continues to play a significant role, farmers and the agri-tech industry can benefit from technological assistance in coping with environmental and market challenges. Automation integrated with intelligence, forming a smart farming platform, can offer assistance to farmers and contribute to societal well-being in various ways.
Machineries such as robots, drones, and other automated equipment can automate multiple farming processes, improving control, reducing errors, enhancing productivity, and minimizing wastage. For instance, fruit harvesting robots utilize sensors to identify the ripeness stage of each fruit and selectively pluck only those ready for harvesting. Smart sprinklers, working in conjunction with moisture sensors, ensure crops receive the optimal amount of water based on specific moisture requirements.
Drones serve as valuable aids in tasks such as fertilization, field and livestock monitoring, and farm mapping. Contrary to concerns about job displacement, automation in the agricultural sector is essential due to the demanding nature of farm work and the scarcity of labor in rural areas.
Sensors are critical components of climate-smart farming, enabling automated irrigation, soil testing, and other essential tasks. They measure and control various aspects of farming and agri-tech, including soil quality, light, humidity, livestock health, and more. Sensors are particularly vital in smart greenhouse deployments, where crops are grown in controlled environments.
The Internet of Things (IoT) acts as the networking foundation, connecting robots, drones, sprinklers, sensors, and other farm hardware. It facilitates remote monitoring
Read more articles here
