PRECISION FARMING:
Precision Farming or Precision
Agriculture is a concept of using the new technologies about doing the right thing, in the right place, in
the right way, at the right time. The intent of precision farming is to match
agricultural inputs and practices as per crop and agro-climatic conditions to
improve the accuracy of their applications.
It helps,
avoiding unwanted practices to a crop, regardless of local soil/climate
conditions, i.e., it reduces labor, water, inputs such as
fertilizers, pesticides etc. & assures quality produce to precisely
evaluate optimum sowing density, estimate fertilizers and other inputs needs to
more accurately predict crop yields.
HISTORY:
Precision Farming Project was started in Tamil Nadu state in Dharmapuri
and Krishnagiri districts during 2004-05. It was implemented initially in
250 acres in 2004-05, 500 acres in 2005-06 and 250 acres in 2006-07 with a
total budget of 7.20 lakhs). Government of Tamil Nadu had assigned this turnkey
project task to Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. The first crop
has be taken up under the total guidance of Scientists from the University.
500 ha were planted with 23 kinds of crops over three years and
recorded 60 % increase in yield and 90 % marketable quality. The buyers and
sellers meets have now became every day affair in as much as the cluster level
associations and District level federations of the farmers assumed bargaining
powers both for sale of the produce and for purchase of inputs as well. The
site has now become the training ground for the farmers of rest of the state.
In the first year, farmers were not ready to accept this project
initially because of their frustration in Agriculture due to continuous drought
in that area for 4 years since 2002. But after seeing the success of the first
100 farmers and high market rate of the produce from this scheme, farmers
started registering in large numbers for the second (90 per cent subsidy) and
third year (80 per cent subsidy).
BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT:
- 60 to 80 % higher yield in all the crops (The highest possible yield records under Indian conditions)
- 90% plus first grade marketable produce
- Weight by volume is 25% higher
- 30% premium price in the market
- 5-6 days more shelf life
- Less labor dependence
- 30-40 % Water economy
- Extended harvest ensuring sales during the period of peak price
- Empowerment of farmers technically, economically and socially
- Establishment of Producer Company incorporated under Company Act
KEY TECHNOLOGIES:
A. Satellite based Soil Maps:
Fertilizer application and soil management based on the Satellite
based Soil Maps. This technology helped in identifying the exact nutrient
status of the particular area soil.
B. Chisel plough:
The chisel plough technology ensures better aeration to root zone and
effective drainage during rainy days.
Further it helps the plants to develop root system with characteristical
uniformity, pattern, and architecture and in adequate mass. The Chisel plough
needs to be operated once in two years. Compared to single tine chisel plough
five tine chisel is effective in hard soils.
C. Hi-Tech Community Nursery:
The seedlings are to be raised in pro trays under net houses with
insect proof netting making use of (EC and pH adjusted) coco peat media treated
with pseudomonas. The seedlings produced will be strikingly uniform with
similar physical and physiological age thus ensuring 100 per cent field stand
and sustain 100 per cent productive plants.
The root mass is on the outer surface of root ball and hence there is no
causality. The Cabbage and Cauliflower seedlings are extremely sensitive to pH
and EC of the media while chilli and brinjal Hybrid seedlings are hardy. One
net house nursery (300sm) is recommended for every cluster consisting of 20 ha.
D. Drip and Fertigation System:
Drip and fertigation system ensures water economy, precise application
of water-soluble fertilizers to root zone and keep an ideal soil moisture
regime of 60 percent and aeration of 40 %.
In conventional system, immediately after irrigation, the air gradient
of soil becomes zero and moisture gradient becomes 100 per cent. Before irrigation the gradients are reversed
thus exerting stress over the root zone.
In fertigated fields, the moisture regime was 60 per cent and air
gradient was 40 per cent. Thus the
growth became unchecked from seedling to harvest. Surface of the soil is dry
during most part of the cropping season hence less weeds which reduces labor
expenses on weeding and less pathogen which reduces cost of plant protection.
Further the row crop geometry renders effective spray of pesticides and
residual toxicity is comparatively less than the conventional system.
Fertigation ensures precise dosage at critical stages of the crop in the
immediately available form and hence the crop growth is unchecked throughout
the crop period. Extended harvest is possible with fertigation.
FARMER
ASSOCIATION FOR MARKETING
For every 25
to 30 beneficial farmers could jointly form a registered Precision Farmers
Association. These societies involved in
various activities like,
- Negotiation of the inputs purchase with the agro traders
- Discussing the possibilities of contract farming of vegetables
- Visiting various markets and getting the market information
- Sharing their precision farming experience with fellow members
Because of the quality, all the
produce from Precision Farming areas are fetching premium price in all the
markets, so farmer will not get problem while marketing their produce.
CONCLUSION
 |
Power saving: 50%
Grade I quality crop produced: 90%"
Weight gained by fruit & vegetables: 25%"
|
This form of agriculture is quite challenging and satisfying."
Given its benefits, precision farming should have spread like wildfire across
the country. But it still has a long way to go. Rough estimates suggest that
only 2.5 million of India's 120 million farmers practice it. The need is all
the greater given the pressure the farming sector will face in coming years.
SOME
TESTIMONIAL
1. Vaibhav Patil, a
26-year-old business administration graduate from Nimbol, has taken to farming.
"I earn more than my friends, who work in IT companies.
2. When he did things
the traditional way, Sriram Patil from Jalgoan district of Maharashtra
harvested eight quintals of cotton per acre. Today, thanks to precision
farming, his output has risen to 35 quintals an acre. Patil has built a 1,500
sq. ft. house, purchased a tractor, and leased 25 acres of farmland.
3. Mahajan's banana
yield has more than doubled, and so has his income. He has bought 30 acres of
land, built a three storied house, and indulged in a four-wheel-drive jeep. The
story is the same across many parts of Jalgaon district.
4. Raju Ramdas Patil,
a native of Neri village near Jalgaon, spends a lot of time assessing the
threat to his crop from pests. "Earlier I would spray pesticide without
taking the kind of pests into consideration. It was a waste," he says.
"Now I look at the leaves and stem for symptoms and spray pesticide
depending on the extent of the attack. I have saved money and my farming has
become eco-friendly." The money saved, along with his added income has
enabled him to build a large farmhouse and fulfil his long-cherished dream of owning
a house in Pune.
5. Many more success
story are from both Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts of Tamil Nadu which
shows the new way to Indian Green Revolution.
Name: - Panchu Gopal
Seet, B.Sc, MBA
E-Mail: - panchugopal.seet@gmail.com
Mobile:
- +919439055442
