Artificial Intelligence & its Role in Agriculture

Dr Sudershan Kumar
The rise of artificial intelligence in the modern times is quite evident with it increasingly replacing many aspects of our day to day lives. In the modern era, countries around the globe are getting increasingly acquainted with the economic benefits of adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) in various sectors including agriculture. Subsequently, over the years, multiple nations have adopted a multitude of activities and various naive approaches aimed at developing AI based ecosystem on the agricultural sector.
Furthermore, the resulting augmentation in agriculture facilitated by the use of artificial intelligence has also resulted into significant increase in the per capita income of the rural community. Thus proving that laying greater emphasis on agriculture will be more rationale and appropriate. Moreover, from India’s perspective, the emphasis needs to be increased on farming sector as agriculture accounts for nearly 18% of GDP and also is the major source of employment to 50 percent of its population.This will also result into structural transformation. In the recent times, majority of start ups in agriculture sector are adopting AI enabled approach to increase the efficiency of agricultural production. The global market study reveals that AI based market in the agriculture sector is expected to reach 1550 million US$ by 2025. Therefore, the question which arises is that what is prompting farmers around the globe to adopt innovative technologies like AI in their farming sector? What is Artificial Intelligence? How it is beneficial for improving the yield of their agricultural produce and also, how it helps in doubling their income? On a thorough analysis of the world data , one finds that by the year 2049 the world population will be around 10 billion. India’s population will be around 1.76 billion.India will surpass China by the year 2027 and will emerge as the most populous country of the world.Total land mass of the country will remain the same. But agriculture base will shrink.Hence feeding extra 0.4 billion (40crore) people will be an uphill task for any future government. As a result, multiple new challenges will crop up.These will encompass various grave concerns ranging from food scarcity, water scarcity, internal unrest and inadequate infrastructure etc to climate change due to global warming. The scenario of global warming would be detrimental for the farming sector.
This would be in the form of prolonged dry spells,droughts, unseasonal rains frequent cyclones etc. This can even amount to crop failure. Various other factors further compounding towards deteriorating farming sector are :- Dearth of irrigation facilities pan India with only 30 % of our agriculture land having irrigation facilities. Remaining 70% being dependent on monsoon. Besides, high cost of cultivation( which includes seeds, fertilizers and pesticides) along with low agriculture produce will certainly act as a force multiplier to farmers woes.Soil degradation,continuous loss of organic matter and decreased biodiversity will also lead to food scarcity. As a result, the consumers’ bowl would be half empty with less nutrients and more chemical residues there by leading to health disorders. Besides, other factors such as deforestation,burning crop residue, excessive use of chemical fertilizer, ploughing, keeping land fallow, over grazing and wind water erosion will lead to a loss of organic matter from the soil.
Therefore to overcome these weather vagaries and man made problems, one will have to adopt two prong approach to provide solution to farmers’ problems.First is the Universal Principle of farming and the second one is the extensive use of all sorts of technologies including AI based.By Universal Principle of farming, one means farming in harmony with nature that the soil to be covered with crops through out the year, follow diverse pattern of crops, add bio stimulants, allow minimal disturbance to soil,use indigenous seeds, increase the amount of diversity of organic residue,pest managements through better agronomic practices, botanical extracts and avoidance of use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides,herbicides and weedicides. Secondly and the most prominent is the use of AI based technologies to improve the productivity in the farming sector.The basic concept of AI is to develop a technology,which functions like a human brain. The technology is perpetrated by studying how human brain thinks, learns, makes decision and works while solving the problems.Based on this perception, a software and system are developed.These software programs are fed with training and further these intelligent devices are provided with desired out put with every valued input just like human brain.Vast domain including Machine learning(ML) and Deep Learning(DL) are the parts of AI.Machine Learning is the ability to learn something without being explicitly programmed.Deep learning is the learning of deep network.The main objective of AI is to make neural problem facile which may include the use of ANN.ANN is a processing algorithm on a hardware, whose functioning is inspired by functioning of human brain. The neural network has a remarkable ability of self organization with adoptive learning. The unique and remarkable characteristics of AI based technologies have found their ways in addressing the farming related issues. AI will not only be improving the farming productivity but it will also provide vital inputs in removing the supply chain constraints.Further it will enable easy access in global market.Hence nations around the globe are embracing these technologies for improving their farming sector.India,whose economy is largely dependent on agriculture has no choice but to accept this universal change in agriculture sector.Employing these technologies will not only revolutionize the farming sector but also act as a catalyst to provide greater thrust to Indian economy and sustainable development.Artificial Intelligence technologies like AI Sowing App,AI platforms,AI integrated computer version and Machining learning and AI tools for predictive analytic are commonly used by farmers in variety of applications in many countries.First, Sowing App is proving very handy for farmers for sowing purpose.The unique advantage of this Sowing APP is that all required information can be obtained with the help of smart phone,which is capable of receiving text messages.These messages contain very basic and essential information for day to day use of farmers.This relates to details of sowing data,soil test bed,fertilizer application,seed treatment, optimal sowing depth and many more as per requirement of farmers. Secondly, AI technologies and platforms can be deployed to monitor the crops holistically and provide additional in sights to farmers/extension workers Many agronomic factors such as vegetation,health and soil moisture can be monitored up to farm level using remote sensing data. Even round the clock monitoring is possible using AI tools.
Third,integrated computer version and Machine learning can be used in reducing the Herbicides through precision agriculture. Fourth, the most important is the Predictive analytic using AI tool which can bring more accurate supply and demand chain there by reducing information asymmetry between farmers and intermediaries.
The author is of the opinion that in India the agriculture is the backbone of the country’s economy.It is the principle livelihood for over 58% of rural house holds. But it faces many challenges from sowing to harvesting. Hence modernization in agriculture is absolutely essential to address these challenges.That is possible by adopting two prong approach. First adopting Universal farming and secondly by the extensive use of technology especially Artificial Intelligence embedded in farming. Authorities at the helm of affairs must accept this fact and adopt bottom up approach for increasing the agriculture production. Government must own the responsibility of hand holding and providing technology to farmers with proper training so that to start with they are in a position to heap the low hanging fruits for their betterment.
(The author is former Director General & Special Secretary DRDO, MoD GoI)
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