ficci: Use of AI and technology can address challenges in India’s agriculture sector, says new report

Even though agriculture remains a priority sector representing the livelihoods of about 58% of the country’s population, the adoption of technology in the sector is at a transitional stage and faces several challenges throughout the period. value chain, according to a report. Although agriculture in India is at a transitional stage, with a focus on technology integration for better operations, the sector faces several challenges along the value chain, according to a report by PwC and FICCI.

The report titled “Redefining Agriculture with Artificial Intelligence: Predicting the Unpredictable” states that these challenges require disruptive interference which can be provided by technological solutions.

The whole system must adapt to a holistic approach that can build on indigenous and traditional agricultural knowledge integrated with transformative smart farming practices, including the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) tools and techniques ), he noted.

The adoption of AI technologies will pave the way for higher production with optimal use of available resources and facilitate predictive analysis, crop health management, improve quality and traceability, among others, a- he declared.

The report further states that the adoption of innovative and transformative smart farming practices in the country is gradually becoming a major trend.

Smart and technological management of resources, modernization of agricultural supply chains, climate risk mitigation strategy, digitization of agricultural collectives as agricultural producer organizations, emergence of an ecosystem of startups and government initiatives in digital agriculture are some of the measures taken to encourage smart farming practices. , he added.

Globally, technological advances in recent years are reshaping both the upstream and downstream segments of the agricultural value chain.

Advanced AI technologies such as IoT (Internet of Things), ML (Machine Learning), cloud computing, statistical computing, deep learning, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality ( AR) enable the sector to meet productivity, quality, traceability and carbon emissions challenges with increased profitability, the report adds.

Drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are mainly used in the agricultural sector.

The report states that as the agricultural sector in the country develops further, the use of drones in farming methods is expected to grow, with many startups investing in low-cost drones, which can support farmers, improve their knowledge and create jobs for rural youth.

He further stated that the government also enables an institutional ecosystem for agritech startups through incubators.

It adopted the theme of “AI for All” and made general recommendations to nurture the AI ​​ecosystem in India through NITI Aayog.

Despite the progress made in creating and nurturing an AI-based ecosystem, the agriculture sector faces a number of issues and challenges that need to be addressed to facilitate a smooth transition, he said. he declares.

The main challenges related to the innovation and technology aspects of AI in the agricultural sector are the limited pool of AI and sector expertise, the existing gaps in public research on AI, the poor quality of data and lack of access to data, lack of cross-border coordination and collaboration.

These challenges can be addressed through a “3S” strategy using the levers of scale, skill and service to transform AI into agricultural intelligence, leading to widespread adoption of the technology in the ecosystem through collaborative efforts. of key actors as drivers of change, the report suggests.