Green Revolution 2.0 : Drones accelerating the dynamics of India ’ s farmlands
Coming in all shapes and sizes , the tiny flying machines have become a crucial agent for the rapid transformation of the agriculture sector
BY SACHIN ARYA
The critical role played by the drones came to the fore in 2020 when these were used to ward off locus attacks , saving millions of hectares of farmland . Farmers got the first-hand experience in operating drones and their usefulness such as testing the moisture of soil , which is not possible through traditional ways .
The use of drones is a key component of the central government ’ s mission of promoting digital agriculture to strengthen the farming sector . State governments too are adopting it with vigour as they are experimenting with drones in farming and promoting their use .
There are reports that drone-led precision farming can reduce input cost by 18-20 percent while enhancing yield by 30-100 percent in India . Drones have shown they can be
beneficial in planting seeds in the Indo- Gangetic plains , where the rice-wheat cropping system is prevalent .
Farmers can make crop surveillance of the field using infrared cameras and get real-time information about crop growth , infestation , and requirement of inputs . This helps farmers in responding to any problem sooner and take active measures to nip it in the bud . Applications of drones can also be used for mapping water spread areas , pest infestation , and livestock farming besides assisting farmers in adopting good agricultural practices ( GAP ). Crops can be contamination-free , making them get good export prices .
The use of drone in agriculture is helpful to farmers as it have some distinct advantages such as high field capacity and efficiency , less
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