·       Digitalisation of agriculture involves the integration of advanced digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, unmanned aviation systems, sensors, and communication networks into the farm production system.

·       These technological innovations play a crucial role in increasing agricultural productivity, improving irrigation efficiency, and optimizing the management of inputs, thereby leading to higher returns for farmers.

Role of Digital Public Infrastructure

·       Assessing Soil Health: Technological interventions, including soil sensors, remote sensing, and unmanned aerial surveying, enable farmers to assess crop and soil health conditions at various stages of production.

·       Improving Crop Yield: Utilization of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) algorithms facilitates the generation of real-time actionable insights for enhancing crop yield, controlling pests, conducting soil screening, and providing valuable data to farmers.

·       Blockchain Technology: Implementation of blockchain technology ensures the provision of tamper-proof and accurate data regarding farms, inventories, transactions, and food tracking, thereby enhancing transparency and security in the agricultural ecosystem.

Benefits of Digital Agriculture

·       Increasing Productivity: Digitalisation of agriculture leads to increased productivity and reduced production costs, thereby improving the overall profitability of farming operations.

·       Environmental Sustainability: It helps in mitigating soil degradation, reducing chemical application in crop production, promoting efficient use of water resources, and minimizing environmental and ecological impacts.

·       Socio-Economic Development: By empowering farmers with access to digital tools and information, it contributes to uplifting the socio-economic status of farmers and rural communities.

·       Worker Safety: Implementation of digital technologies enhances worker safety by reducing manual labour and exposure to hazardous agricultural practices.

Challenges in Implementation

·       Limited Digital Infrastructure: Rural areas often lack robust digital infrastructure, such as reliable internet connectivity and electricity, which hinders the widespread adoption of digital technologies by farmers.

·       Digital Divide: There exists a significant disparity in access to digital resources between urban and rural areas, posing a challenge to the equitable distribution of technological benefits.

·       Cost of Technology: Many digital agriculture solutions require substantial investments, making them unaffordable for smallholder farmers with limited financial resources.

·       Fragmented Agriculture Sector: India’s agriculture sector is characterized by fragmentation, with a large number of smallholder farmers cultivating diverse crops across different regions, making it challenging to develop digital solutions that cater to this diversity.

·       Capacity Building: Training farmers to effectively utilize digital tools and interpret the data generated poses a significant challenge and requires substantial investment in capacity-building initiatives.

Suggestions

·       Given the prevalence of agricultural land leasing arrangements, there is a need for portable hardware solutions that can be easily transferred between farm plots.

·       Digital platforms offering equipment renting and sharing services can address the financial constraints faced by farmers, particularly those with small farm plots.

·       Collaboration with academic institutes and agricultural organizations for providing training facilities and capacity-building programs can enhance digital adoption among farmers.