Centre Will Promote Kisan Drones To Help Farmers

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Context

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her budget speech said the Centre will promote Kisan drones to help farmers assess crops, digitise land records as well as spray insecticides and nutrients.

Benefits of using Drones in Agriculture

Enhanced Production - The farmer can improve production capabilities through comprehensive irrigation planning, adequate monitoring of crop health, increased knowledge about soil health, and adaptation to environmental changes.
Effective and Adaptive Techniques - Drone usage results in regular updates to farmers about their crops and helps develop strengthened farming techniques. They can adapt to weather conditions and allocate resources without any wastage.
Greater safety of farmers - It is safer and more convenient for farmers to use drones to spray pesticides. It leads to less pollution and chemicals in the soil.
Less wastage of resources - Agri-drones enables optimum usage of all resources such as fertilizer, water, seeds, and pesticides.
99% Accuracy rate - The drone survey helps farmers calculate the precise land size, segment the various crops, and indulge in soil mapping.
Useful for Insurance claims - Farmers can use the data captured through drones to claim crop insurance in case of any damages. They even calculate risks/losses associated with the land while being insured.

Recent amendment in Initiative to promote usage of Drones in Agriculture

Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM)

Scheme

Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare launched the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) in 2014-15.

Implementation

The SMAM is being implemented by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
The scheme is implemented by the respective State Governments.

Objectives

Increasing the reach of farm mechanization to small and marginal farmers and to the regions & difficult area where farm power availability is low.
Boost up mechanization in the agriculture sector, improved agricultural implements and machinery as essential inputs for modern agriculture.
Promote ‘Custom Hiring Centres’ and ‘Hi-tech Hubs of High-Value Machines’ to offset the adverse economies of scale arising due to small and fragmented landholding and high cost of individual ownership;
Creating awareness among stakeholders through demonstration and capacity building activities and ensuring performance testing and certification of agricultural machines at designated testing centres located all over the country.

Importance of mechanization

It will enhance the productivity of crops besides reducing human drudgery and cost of cultivation.
Mechanization also helps in improving the utilization efficiency of other inputs that can boost the income of farmers and growth of the agricultural economy.

Recent Amendment and new provisions in SMAM

Grant:Grant of upto 100% of the cost of agriculture drone or Rs. 10 lakhs, whichever is less, for purchase of drones by the Farm Machinery Training & Testing Institutes, ICAR institutes, Krishi Vigyan Kendras and State Agriculture Universities for taking up large scale demonstrations of this technology on the farmers’ fields.
Eligibility:The Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs) would be eligible to receive grant up to 75% of the cost of agriculture drone for its demonstrations on the farmers’ fields.
Contingency Expenditure:A contingency expenditure of Rs.6000 per hectare would be provided to implementing agencies that do not want to purchase drones but will hire drones for demonstrations from Custom Hiring Centres, Hi-tech Hubs, Drone Manufacturers and Start-Ups.
Limitation of Expenditure:The contingent expenditure to implementing agencies that purchase drones for drone demonstrations would be limited to Rs.3000 per hectare. The financial assistance and grants would be available until March 31, 2023.

Further steps that are needed to be taken

Strengthening of Start-ups supporting farmer-producer organisations (FPO), machinery for farmers on a rental basis and information technology-based services.
Public-private partnership scheme to deliver digital and high-tech services to farmers.
Attention to other sunshine industries such as artificial intelligence, geospatial systems, semiconductors, space economy, genomics and pharmaceuticals, green energy and clean mobility systems.

Read: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/artificial-intelligence-in-agriculture-19