What is Agritech?
Agritech is defined here as technologies and tools that
improve yield, efficiency and profitability by leveraging Internet of Things,
big data, artificial intelligence, machine learning, drones, and sensors in agricultural
processes to track, monitor, automate and analyse.
Using predictive technologies to detect erratic weather,
sensors to map the specific type of climate and soil in an area, and machine
learning algorithms that determine the appropriate crops based on this data,
can substantially improve the quality and quantity of yield.
In the dairy and livestock vertical, the use of sensors to
monitor the health and nutrition of cattle and drones to track herds can
improve efficiency and traceability.
Agriculture & Allied Sector in India:
Agriculture and allied sectors are the primary source of
livelihood for nearly 55 per cent of India’s population (Census 2011) but
accounted only for approximately 17.8 per cent of the country’s Gross Value
Added (GVA) in 2019-20.
The yields on cereal crops are about 50 per cent lower in
India, than in countries such as the United States or China, and speak to the
numerous structural barriers that continue to persist in the sector.
With agricultural output being utilised as important input
for various industries, including retail and e-commerce, the importance of
agriculture and improving yields becomes all the more pressing.
Challenges:
The average size of farm holdings in the country is just
over 1 hectare, with small and marginal farmers holding nearly 86 per cent of
the total.
Small holders find it particularly difficult to invest in
expensive technologies and other inputs that would improve efficiency.
Additionally, the existence of a large number of
intermediaries across the value chain, challenges in access to credit and
technology, limited sales channels, and lack of digital infrastructure have
inhibited agricultural potential.
These distinctive attributes of the agriculture sector in
India have made it imperative to look towards policies that improve yield,
simplify value chain networks, democratize digital infrastructure, and improve
access to credit and insurance.
Also Read: Organic Farming
An smart solution lies in the rapid adoption of Agritech,
the technologies and tools that improve yield, efficiency
and profitability by leveraging Internet of Things, big data, artificial
intelligence, machine learning, drones, and sensors in agricultural processes
to track, monitor, automate and analyse.
The emerging Agritech use for weather, soil and climatic
conditions have historically been an important determinant of the agricultural
processes in India.
Using predictive technologies to detect erratic weather,
sensors to map the specific type of climate and soil in an area, and machine
learning algorithms that determine the appropriate crops based on this data,
can substantially improve the quality and quantity of yield.
In the dairy and livestock vertical, the use of sensors to
monitor the health and nutrition of cattle and drones to track herds can
improve efficiency and traceability.
The agritech space in the country involves various actors,
including think-tanks, research laboratories, government, incubators, and
startups.
The Central as well as various state governments have
undertaken numerous initiatives to enable and support the integration of smart
technologies in agriculture. A few of these initiatives have been outlined.
Acting as the link between farmers, wholesalers, retailers,
and consumers, these startups have been improving market linkages, while
disrupting traditional agricultural systems with innovative and affordable
solutions.
There are over 500 agritech startups in the country, which
witnessed a significant rise with the government’s Digital India campaign that
has prioritized the creation of digital infrastructure for all. Some notable
agritech startups which are utilizing cutting-edge technologies to drive
solutions in the sector include Fasal, DeHaat, Clover, CropIn, and Intello
Labs.
The agritech space in the country involves various actors, including
think-tanks, research laboratories, government, incubators, and startups. The Central
as well as various state governments have undertaken numerous initiatives to
enable and support the integration of smart technologies in agriculture.
Central Government Initiatives:
Soil Health Cards (2015-2017): crop specific recommendations
for fertilizers and nutrients, every two years.
Soil Health Card Mobile App (2017): captures GIS coordinates
while registering sample details to indicate location of sample.
National Agriculture Market – eNAM (2016): electronic
trading portal connecting APMC mandis. Incorporates 1,000 markets with over 90
commodities.
Direct Benefit Transfer: Around 14 schemes in agriculture
and 2 in animal husbandry have been rolled out using DBT, which involved use of
Aadhar-based biometric authentication and ePOS machines to directly reach the
farmers’ bank accounts.
State Government Initiatives:
Karnataka:
Agritech fund of USD 2.5 Mn using AI.
Partnership with IBM to price forecasting using AI and ML.
Haryana:
Integrated Farmer Producer Organization’s (FPO) packhouses
to the eNAM platform.
Madhya Pradesh:
Set up the UN-ICRISAT agency to assist with climate smart
agriculture solutions.
Uttar Pradesh:
Bill and Melinda gates Foundation and TATA Trusts collaborated
with the State government to set up an Indian Agriculture Incubation Network at
IIT Kanpur.
Telangana:
Open Data Portal, containing 199 datasets including agriculture,
irrigation, and animal husbandry and livestock.
The process of unleashing the true potential of agritech in
the country would involve developing a synergistic relationship between the
various stakeholders in the process, including the farmers themselves,
enhancing investment and R&D to constantly improve and update solutions,
and further improving the regulatory environment to ease accessibility of
startups and other companies to create a robust ecosystem.
Also Read: What is Advance Agriculture?
Source: Yojana