Lok Sabha Question No. 1298 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-03
Subject: Integrating Cutting-edge Technologies into Agriculture
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Thiru Dr. S Jagathratchakan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1298

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 3 RD  DECEMBER 2024

## INTEGRATING CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGIES INTO AGRICULTURE

## 1298.  SHRI S JAGATHRATCHAKAN:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is committed to integrating cutting-edge technologies into agriculture;
- (b) if so, the details of the steps that have been taken/proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) whether the Government is cognizant that drones can revolutionize farming by reducing  the  excessive  use  of  water,  pesticides,  and  herbicides,  maintaining  soil fertility and enhancing productivity while minimizing manual labour; and
- (d) if  so,  the  details  of  the  initiatives  that  have  been  taken/being  taken  by  the Government  to  make  drone  technology  affordable  to  the  stakeholders  of  the agricultural sector?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण राÏय मंğी (SHRI BHAGIRATH CHOUDHARY)

(a) and (b): The Institutes under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) are working in the area of  different cutting edge-technologies for  production and postproduction agriculture such as use of sensor, Artificial Intelligence (AI)  and robotics in development of farm mechanization  technologies/ machines, vision guided AI-enabled robotic apple harvester, image (visual and x-ray) based mango  sorting and grading system and sensor-based monitoring system with block chain  technology for supply chain of banana, Internet  of Things (IoT)-based real-time intelligent monitoring and controlling system for cold storage, real-time fruit quality monitoring using  digital twins and machine learning during  storage, Phase Change Material (PCM) based energy efficient  vending  cart  for  fruits  and  vegetables,  visible  light  induced  composite photocatalytic reactor for ethylene  degradation etc.

(c)  and  (d):  Use  of  drones  in  agriculture  have  distinct  advantages  like  increased efficiency, cost effectiveness due to reduction in cost of spraying, saving of fertilizers and pesticides  due  to  high  degree  of  atomization,  saving  of  water  due  to  ultra-low volume spraying etc. besides reduction of human exposure to hazardous chemicals. The use of drones in agriculture also have catalytic effect in creating both direct as well as indirect employment in the agriculture sector.

The  Department  of  Agriculture  and  Farmers  Welfare  (DA&FW)  is  promoting adoption of Kisan Drones by the farmers. Financial assistance under the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) is provided for demonstration of kisan drones on farmers' fields, purchase of drones by the farmers on individual ownership basis and establishment of Custom Hiring Centres of Kisan drones for providing services of drones to farmers on rental basis.

The  Government  has  also  approved  'Namo  Drone  Didi'  as  Central  Sector Scheme for providing drones to the Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) with an outlay of Rs. 1261 Crores for the period from 2023-24 to 2025-26. Under this scheme, there is a provision of Central Financial Assistance (CFA) @ 80% of the cost of drone and accessories/ancillary charges up to a maximum of Rs. 8.00 lakhs per drone to the selected women SHGs. Out of the total 15,000 drones targeted to be supplied under the scheme, the first 500 drones have been procured by Lead Fertilizer Companies (LFCs) in 2023-24, using their internal resources and distributed to the selected SHGs. During the financial year 2024-25, the target is to distribute drones to 3090 SHGs in the first phase.

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