With the proliferation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in every field, agriculture is not one to be left behind. a host of ICT tools have been developed which are use by farmers on an everyday basis.

E-Agriculture

Aplication of IT to farming techniques has opened up a new area of knowledge called E-Agriculture. It enhances the agricultural value chain through the application of Internet and related technologies.

In the context of agriculture, the potential of information technology (IT) can be studied under broadly two outcomes viz. direct contribution to farm productivity and indirect contribution.

Soil Management, Water Management, Seed Management, Fertilizer Management, Pest Management, Harvest Management and Post Harvest Management are the important components of e-Agriculture where technology aids farmers with better information and alternatives- this is direct impact

The indirect tools help farmers to take informed and quality decisions which will have positive impact on the way agriculture and allied activities are conducted. Indian farmer urgently requires timely and reliable sources of information inputs for taking decisions. At present, the farmer depends on trickling down of decision inputs from conventional sources which are slow and unreliable. The changing environment faced by Indian farmers makes information not merely useful, but necessary to remain competitive.

Indirect impact refers to IT helping farmers to have better access to information which increases the productivity, enabling him to get better prices through information of change in price in different markets. 

The information related to policies and programs of government, schemes for farmers, institutions through which these schemes are implemented, new innovations in agriculture, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), Institutions providing new agricultural inputs(high yielding seeds, new fertilizers etc) and training in new techniques are disseminated to farmers through use of Information technology to ensure inclusiveness and to avoid digital divide. 

Access to price information, access to agriculture information, access to national and international markets, increasing production efficiency and creating a ‘conducive policy environment’ are the beneficial outcomes of e-Agric ulture which enhance quality of life of farmers.

It uses a host of technologies like Remote Sensing, Computer Simulation, Assessment of speed and direction of Wind, Soil quality assays, Crop Yield predictions and Marketing using IT. 

In India e-Agriculture is a mission mode project (MMP) under national e-governance plan envisaged by department of IT. MMP on Agriculture is handled by state governments and is termed NeGP-A(National e-Governance Policy- Agriculture). Different state government initiatives like e-Krishi by Kerala, e-Krishi Vipananbu Madhya pradesh are included in NeGP-A.

Though lots of problems like technical feasibility of connectivity in rural areas, cost involved in ensuring services, need for basic computer literacy and literacy hinders the fast development of e-Agriculture, it will definitely be an engine of growth in Rural India once the initial hiccups are overcome.

e-NAM

eNAM is an online inter-connectivity of e-mandis, aimed at ushering in much needed agriculture marketing reforms to enable farmers to get better price of their produce.

Key features

• e-National Agriculture Market (NAM) is a pan-India e-trading platform. It is designed to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities.
• Farmers can showcase their produce online from their nearest market and traders can quote price from anywhere.
• It will result in increased numbers of traders and greater competition. It will also ensure open price discovery and better returns to farmers.
• During the launch, 21 mandis from eight states were connected to this unified portal. The States include Gujarat, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
• Initially, online trade will be allowed within the state and inter-state trade will be possible once all states and mandis are integrated.
• 25 commodities including onion, potato, apple, wheat, pulses, coarse grains and cotton, have been identified for online trading.
• To integrate a wholesale mandis across the country with the online platform, the state governments have to amend their Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act.
• eNAM will be implemented in different phases with an aim to integrate 585 regulated markets across the country with the common e-market platform by March 2018. So far 365 mandis from 12 states have been granted approval.

Policy to Promote Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA)

Climate change incidence on agriculture can be in the form of increased variability in temperature and rainfall and intensity of extreme weather events like drought and flood ultimately creating disturbance to agro-ecosystems, thereby impacting farmers and farming community. This necessitates the need to address adaptation and rural development in an integrated manner, so as to achieve climate resilient development. It is in this context that there is emergence of the concept and significance of ‘Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA).

Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA): it is an approach that helps to guide actions needed to transform and reorient agricultural systems to effectively support development and ensure food security in a changing climate. CSA aims to tackle three main objectives: sustainably increasing agricultural productivity and incomes; adapting and building resilience to climate change; and reducing and/or removing greenhouse gas emissions wherever possible. CSA is an approach for developing agricultural strategies to secure sustainable food security under climate change. CSA provides the means to help stakeholders identify agricultural strategies suitable to their local conditions.

Mainstreaming CSA and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) policies in India are still at its nascent stage. In order to address the risk associated with Climate variability and climate change, climate resilient technologies are being demonstrated in 153 model villages under KVK covering 23 states under “National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture” (NICRA). In addition, 623 contingency plans have been prepared so far and hosted on ICAR /DAC websites and circulated to all state agriculture departments to manage various weather aberrations such as droughts, floods, cyclones, hailstorms, heat and cold waves. The contingency plans are useful for preparedness and real time implementation towards sustainability of agriculture production system in the events of weather aberrations and extreme climatic events.

Precision Farming

Precision farming is the result of direct contribution of agriculture technology for farm productivity. Precision Farming refers to precise application of agricultural inputs based on soil, weather and crop requirement to maximize productivity, quality and profitability.

It includes the use of latest technologies such as remote sensing (RS), GPS, and geographical information system (GIS) with an objective to improve profitability and productivity.

The potential of precision farming lies in the fact that rather than managing an entire field based upon some hypothetical  average condition, precision farming recognizes site-specific requirements within fields and adjusts management actions accordingly, Thus, Precision farming allows taking best and most effective  decisions quickly for small areas within larger fields.

Methodology

A filed is divided into management zones called grids on the basis of soil pH, nutritional status, pest infestation, yield rates, and other factors that may affect crop production,

The management decisions are based on the requirements of each grid,

The tools such as GIS, GPS, etc. are used to control zone inputs. With the use of GPS, exact location for a particular management decision can be found.

Maps generation is the important step in Precision Farming. The maps measure spatial variability and provide the basis for controlling spatial variability. Mapping is done with data collection in the field related to various spatial variables such as soil type, soil nutrition status, crop density, infestations etc.

The data is collected using soil probes and other such tools. Mapping and data collection can be done using the RS, GIS and manual inputs.

For example a farmer mounts a GPS device on the tractor while applying the fertilizers or pesticides,  Crop yield can also be monitored to create maps that show the high and low production areas of a field for improved management decisions.

Technologies used

Global Positioning System (GPS) Receivers

The GPS satellites broadcast the signals that allow the GPS receivers to compute their location. The information is provided while in motion, Having precise location information at any time allows soil and crop measurements to be mapped.

Mapping & Data Collection

Maps generation is the important step in Precision Farming. The maps measure spatial variability and provide the basis for controlling spatial variability. Mapping is done with data collection in the field related to various spatial variables such as soil type, soil nutrition status, crop density, infestations etc.

The data is collected using soil probes and other such tools. Mapping and data collection can be done using the RS, GIS and manual inputs.

Yield Monitoring

The grain yield monitors measure and record the yield of the crop, which is essential for making sound management decisions. If the yield maps are used properly, they would provide important feedback in determining the inputs such as fertilizer amendments, seed, pesticides and cultural practices including tillage and irrigation.

Remote Sensing

Remote sensing refers to collection of data from a distance. The data sensors can simply be hand-held devices, mounted on aircraft or satellite-based. The remote sensing provides information about the crop health, moisture, nutrients, compaction, crop diseases etc.

For example, the near infrared images that are highly correlated with healthy plant tissue can be recorded in the cameras,

RS also provides information about the in-season variability that affects crop yield and extent of crop stress.

Geographic information systems (GIS)

Geographic information systems (GIS) use feature attributes and location data to produce maps.

Precision Farming and India

Though widely adopted in developed countries, the adoption of precision farming in India is yet in infancy primarily due to its unique pattern of land holdings, poor infrastructure, lack of farmers’ inclination to take risk, socio-economic and demographic conditions.

Precision Farming: Opportunities

Precision Fanning gives farmers the ability to use crop inputs more effectively including fertilizers, pesticides, and tillage and irrigation water.

More effective use of inputs means greater crop yield and/or quality, without polluting the environment.

Government efforts for promotion of Precision Farming:

Soil Health Card (SHC)

“National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture(NMSA) was being implemented during 12th Plan with the objectives to make agriculture more productive, sustainable and climate resilient; to conserve natural resources; to adopt comprehensive soil health management practices; to optimize utilization of water resources; etc.

“Soil Health Management (SHM) is one of the most important interventions under NMSA.SHM aims at promoting Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) through judicious use of chemical fertilisers including secondary and micro nutrients in conjunction with organic manures and bio-fertilisers for improving soil health and its productivity; strengthening of soil and fertiliser testing facilities to provide soil test based recommendations to farmers for improving soil fertility; ensuring quality control requirements of fertilisers, bio-fertilisers and organic fertilisers under Fertiliser Control Order, 1985; upgradation of skill and knowledge of soil testing laboratory staff, extension staff and farmers through training and demonstrations; promoting organic farming practices etc. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched nationwide Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme in Suratgarh town of Sriganganagar district, Rajasthan. During the launch PM gave slogan- SwasthDharaa. Khet Haraa (Healthy Earth, Green Farm).

• SHC is centrally-sponsored nationwide scheme which aims to help farmers to improve the productivity of farms by providing them basic information for use of nutrients or fertilizers.
• The card carries crop-wise recommendation of fertilisers that are required for farm lands. It also helps farmers identify health of soil and judiciously use soil nutrients.
• Under this scheme Centre plans to target over 14 crore farmers in the next three years. In financial year 2014-15, around 3 crore farmers will be covered to check the excess use of fertilisers.
• On the occasion of World Soil Day (5 December, 2017), Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister said that the objective of SHC is to provide information about the Soil Health to 120 million farm holdings in the country.
• The key features of Soil Health Card include a uniform approach to collect samples and test them in the laboratory, covering all the land in the country and renew SHC every two years. This scheme is being implemented in collaboration with State Governments. GPS based soil sample collection has been made compulsory to monitor the changes in soil and to prepare a systematic database to compare them with the past years’. The Minister further said the online registration of samples and test results are uploaded on the National Portal of the Soil Health Card. Based on the test results, the system automatically calculates the recommendations.
• Soil Health Card is prepared in 14 local languages and distributed to the farmers.
• SHC portal has been linked to the Integrated Fertilizer Management System (iFMS) and distribution of fertilizers has started in 16 districts on the basis Soil Health Card recommendation as a pilot scheme.

Challenges

However, it has proven difficult to determine the cost benefits of Precision Agriculture management

The small size of farms and fields in most of Indian agriculture limits economic gains from currently available precision farming technology, while the population density, and public concerns for the environment, food safety and animal welfare means that those potential benefits should be given more attention.

Remote Sensing

Remote sensing applications have become very important for making macroeconomic decisions related to food security, poverty alleviation and sustainable development in the country.

Some of the specific applications are:

• Soil Properties Sensing: Soil Texture, Structure, and Physical Condition Soil Moisture; Soil Nutrients,
• Crop Sensing: Crop identification ,estimating Plant Population; Crop Stress and Nutrient Status, crop moisture
• Yield Monitoring Systems: Crop Yield; Acreage and production estimation
• Disease and stress detection
• Variable Rate Technology Systems: Fertilizer flow; Weed detection, pressure sensors

Kissan Knowledge Management System

The basic objective of this system is help KCC agents answer all the queries of the farmers quickly. Whenever a farmer calls in the kisan call center KCC agent can query the KKMS knowledgebase to find the best suitable answer for his query. KKMS knowledgebase will contain data on the agri packages of various SAUs/States.

Farmers’ Portal is an endeavour in this direction to create one stop shop for meeting all informational needs relating to Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries sectors production, sale/storage of an Indian farmer. With this Indian Farmer will not be required to sift through maze of websites created for specific purposes.

Once in the Farmers’ Portal, a farmer will be able to get all relevant information on specific subjects around his village/block /district or state. This information will be delivered in the form of text, SMS, email and audio/video in the language he or she understands.

e-velanmai

• Velanmai is a Tamil word meaning agriculture.
• it is a Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) IT project for dissemination of agricultural information directly to farmers on a pilot basis in selected areas of the State.
• But now they are able to access all information related to agriculture at their farm gate itself which they earlier received from the shop keepers/dealers in their area .

Reuters Market Light (RML)

RML offers Indian farmers up-to-date, local and customised commodity pricing information, news and weather updates. The project is working on public private partnership (PPP) revenue generating business model in Maharashtra and Punjab states,

The broad services provided to farmers include, localised - commodity pricing (Onion, Cotton, Soybean, Pulses, Pomegranate et al); weather updates; news (agriculture & general)

Reuters Market Light is a pioneering mobile phone-based highly-personalised professional information service specially designed to support the farmer community

IFFCO Kisan Sanchar (IKSL)

IKSL provides the farmer the much desired inputs on real time basis which is going to help him on agri-related issues and would guide him for his day to day chores. The project is working on public-private-NGO partnership based revenue generating business model across major states covering in two stages,

The services to farmers include telecom products and services of Airtel; free daily voice updates on VAS platform (mandi prices, farming techniques, weather forecasts and fertilizer availability) and dedicated helpline for farmers to answer their queries.

e-Choupal

A successful initiative by private sector known as e-Choupal can be mentioned here. It is a business platform consisting of a set of organizational subsystems and interfaces connecting farmers to global markets. This common structure can be used to provide products and services for farmers as producer as well as consumer. The e-Choupal business consists of:

(a)    The infrastructure (physical or organizational) through which transaction takes place.

(b)   The entity (person or organization) making the transaction.

(c)    The geographical coverage.

One e-choupal serves a cluster of five villages. This e-choupal provides free information and knowledge which ensures wide participation by the farmer. The entity which provides the facility create revenue through transactions on commission basis.