2023-11-26 05:30:00
India, with its vast and diverse agricultural landscape, is at the cusp of a technological revolution, and Generative AI is emerging as a magic pill with the potential to transform the farming sector.
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Unlike other industries, agriculture in India has so far been largely untouched by transformational technologies like AI, but this presents a tremendous opportunity. With 65 crore people dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods and 86 per cent of the farmers in India being small and marginal farmers, the sector holds the key to uplifting India’s GDP, thus making it crucial to enhance efficiency, reduce crop losses, and increase farm productivity.
Govt tackling challenges
Governments, through fiscal and political interventions, have been working to tackle the many challenges that Indian farmers face. In fact, the Government’s budget allocation for agriculture has increased from ₹21,000 crore in 2013-14 to ₹1.15 lakh crore in the year 2023-24.
Yet, the complexity and sheer size of this sector have often left all these well-intentioned efforts falling short. But Generative AI has the potential to not only transform agriculture practices but also empower the farming community with knowledge and guidance like never before.
Generative AI has the potential to improve the accuracy of farming techniques significantly. Analysing vast and diverse data sets can provide farmers with real-time insights into their soil conditions, weather forecasts/patterns, and crop-specific recommendations. The result is an informed, efficient, and sustainable approach to farming that can boost yields, reduce wastage, and enhance overall profitability. At BharatAgri, we have seen a sharp rise in accuracy in addressing queries to farmers who interact with us, with 65 per cent of the queries by farmers now being handled by our AI-powered chatbot.
- Also read: Why agriculture sector needs higher investment
Exciting aspect of personalisation
One of the most exciting aspects of Generative AI’s impact on agriculture is personalisation. AI-powered chatbots are not mere information repositories of generic solutions; they can comprehend the distinct challenges faced by individual farmers and offer tailor-made advice. These chatbots do not stop at troubleshooting – they educate farmers on the best-suited products and practices to enhance their crop output.
In conclusion, Generative AI is not just a technological advancement but will enable a fundamental shift in how India’s agriculture space operates. The transformative power of AI in agriculture is not just an opportunity but a necessity, a pathway to a more prosperous and sustainable future for India.
By reducing farm losses, enhancing the accuracy of farming techniques, and empowering farmers with personalized solutions – thus making them more intelligent and resilient, it has the potential to drive economic growth, ensure food security, and uplift the lives of millions.
As we embrace this technological transformation, we must support the backbone of our nation – our diligent farmers. Generative AI can not only improve their lives but also ensure food security and economic stability for India, securing a brighter and more prosperous future for the world.
(The author is Cofounder of BharatAgri, an advisory-driven crop-input e-commerce platform for farmers)
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