Smart agriculture

With the new project to use high tech poly houses for the cultivation of cash crops around the year, the government of Jammu and Kashmir is trying to give farmers smart agriculture options.

Traditional agricultural practices are labor and input intensive, less remunerative and sensitive to weather changes. The young educated youth are leaving agriculture because of low returns, uncertainty, and drudgery. The incorporation of technology, particularly AI and IoT, into agriculture has the potential to address challenges such as low efficiency, profitability, and competitiveness. This could lead to a more attractive and professional image for the industry.

This project of sensor-based smart agriculture can be a transformative innovation for Jammu and Kashmir’s agri-economy. Under the project, a sensor-based pilot study will be conducted on high-density apple orchards, protected cultivation and smart livestock farming. The objective is to increase the use of resources and improve efficiency by up to 80 per cent and automate agricultural operations with precision in HDPs of Apple, vegetables, and livestock. The use of AI-based detection of pests and diseases using handheld sensor devices can significantly reduce the drudgery and cost of cultivation by 20 per cent. The project also aims to develop algorithms for big data analytics for remote operations of IoTs and create a startup ecosystem in smart agriculture by networking with IITs and industries. Certificate and diploma courses in AI and ML, IoT, automation and Block chain technology will be launched to train skilled manpower for the new skill sets required in the industry.