Precision Farming: The Future of Indian Agriculture

Abstract

Precision Farming or Precision Agriculture is generally defined as information and technology based farm management system to identify, analyse and manage spatial and temporal variability within fields for optimum productivity and profitability, sustainability and protection of the land resource by minimizing the production costs. Increasing environmental consciousness of the general public is necessitating us to modify agricultural management practices for sustainable conservation of natural resources such as water, air and soil quality, while staying economically profitable. The use of inputs (i.e. chemical fertilizers and pesticides) based on the right quantity, at the right time, and in the right place. This type of management is commonly known as "Site-Specific Management". The productivity gain in global food supply have increasingly relied on expansion of irrigation schemes over recent decades, with more than a third of the world's food now requiring irrigation for production. All-together, market-based global competition in agricultural products is challenging economic viability of the traditional agricultural systems, and requires the development of new and dynamic production systems.

Future prospects of precision agriculture in Nepal

“…It is a holistic approach that helps the farmer to manage the spatial and temporal variability within the field for agriculture revolutionization by increasing the profitability, optimizing yield and quality, and reducing cost (Paustian and Theuvsen, 2017) and is regarded as a paradigm shift in the management of spatial and temporal variability of soil and crop within the agricultural sector (Whelan and Mcbratney, 2000). Precision farming is an appealing concept (Hakkim et al, 2016) which identifies the controllable yield-limiting factors and determines variability by using modern technologies such as geographical information system (GPS), remote sensing (RS) and geographical positioning system (GPS) (Tripathi et al, 2013) (Table 2). The ability to locate the precision position in the farm helps to create the map of spatial and temporal variability of the variables such as crop yield, soil moisture level, organic matter content, nitrogen level, pH, topography, etc.…”

“…Data from satellites, GPS, GIS, remote sensors provide a better understanding of the spatial and temporal variability within the field to the farmers. Farmers can, therefore, precisely manage inputs and production factors such as seed, water, fertilizers, labor, pesticides for increasing yield and efficiency (Hakkim et al, 2016).…”

“…Samples taken from the grids are analyzed in the laboratory and the nutrient requirement of each grid is determined. The goal of grid sampling is to form a map of nutrient needs also known as application map (Hakkim et al, 2016).…”

“…Yield monitors are the device installed on harvesting machines for measuring the crop yield. Yield monitors include a combination of different sensors, user interface (display and keypad), storage device, and a computer that controls the interaction and integration of these components (Hakkim et al, 2016). It records and a store yield data at regular intervals along with the positional information from the GPS unit and creates a yield map.…”

The Prospect of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Precision Agriculture for Farming Systems Productivity in Sub-Tropical India: A Review

“…The outcome was a drastic reduction in cost and improved quality agricultural production and precision irrigation on combining applications of precision agriculture and WSN. Hakkim et al [29], concluded that an increase economic returns as well as reduce the energy input and environmental impacts of agriculture through precision farming. Tools and equipment used were Global Positioning System (GPS), sensor technologies, geographic information system (GIS), grid soil sampling and variable-rate fertilizer (VRT) application, crop management, soil and plant sensors, rate controllers, precision irrigation and in pressurized systems, software, yield monitor and precision farming on arable land, precision farming within the fruits, vegetables and viticulture sectors.…”