Eco-friendly innovations in the working of the agriculture sector drive crop yield while facilitating efficient use of natural resources, making it vital in agriculture development.
India being primarily an agrarian economy, it’s no surprise that a substantial percentage of the country’s population (around 57%) is engaged in agriculture and allied activities. The total size of the sector was worth INR 20,336 billion in the year 2021. The market is expected to increase at a CAGR of 10.4% between 2021 and 2026, according to IMARC Group.
Since India achieved independence, it has strived for self-sufficiency in nearly every aspect, and agriculture is no exception. However, while the nation might have achieved food sufficiency in production, resource-intensive agriculture and low farmer productivity continue to plague the country, resulting in poverty and malnutrition. Besides, agriculture has been one of the few sectors that have been relatively slow in technology adoption, one of the crucial aspects that will ensure the industry’s comprehensive growth and progress. As technology integration gradually rises, here’s how it’s propelling the agriculture sector.
Maintaining soil fertility during the off-season with tech
Soil fertility is fundamental to the production of a substantial yield. However, retaining soil fertility during the off-season is a challenge since imbalanced and unscientific use of fertilizers can damage soil fertility and harm the environment. To resolve this issue, certain technologies come in handy and help increase crop production while reducing the wastage of nutrients in the soil.
The introduction of the nuclear and isotope techniques helps trace the movement of labelled nitrogen and phosphorous fertilizers in soils, crops, and water, providing quantitative information on the fertilizer use efficiency, residual effects, transformation and other fate and transport mechanisms. The nitrogen-15 isotopic technique can aid in calculating the quantity of nitrogen extracted from the atmosphere by leguminous crops through biological nitrogen-fixing. Crop waste integration into soil stabilization and fertility enhancement are quantified using the carbon-13 isotope signature. This method can also be used to examine the effect of conservation practices on soil moisture and quality, such as crop residue assimilation.
Innovation in agriculture
Eco-friendly innovations in the working of the agriculture sector drive crop yield while facilitating efficient use of natural resources, making it vital in agriculture development. Agricultural innovations and technology-led systems help drive sustainability by reducing the carbon footprint and simultaneously increasing profits and production. Through rural development, the ultimate impact of technology and innovation can reduce poverty and carbon footprint, making the sector a sustainable one.
AI and ML: The next support system for growers in the country
In agriculture, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a new concept. Internationally, agricultural processes have been elevated to a new level – thanks to AI-based equipment and tools. Crop production has improved due to this technology, as has real-time tracking, harvest, processing, and marketing. The latest technologies of automated systems using agricultural robots and drones have contributed significantly to the agriculture sector. Machine Learning helps in prospect areas for project development.
How has technological innovation enabled the transformation of agriculture in India?
The country produces 11% of global agriculture and yet, is home to the world’s largest population of malnourished people, indicating a severe issue that needs to be addressed for sectoral growth. Agriculture employs more than half of India’s population, most of whom are small farmers. Given the complexities of Indian agriculture and the vast market potential, technological integration will help the country make a positive step towards achieving its dual goals of increasing smallholder farmer income and maintaining Indian agriculture’s economic viability.
Conclusion
Agritech can resolve the long-standing issues that have plagued the entire sector for years. Even though the usage of advanced technology has been relatively rapid in different parts of the world, it is crucial to notice that adopting the latest technology in the country’s agricultural sector is relatively slow. With the efforts of Agritech companies and the advent of new technologies, the situation is expected to change in the near future.
Source: Business World
