The government has engaged in a number of initiatives utilising artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet of things (IoT) in agriculture. Below are a few of the activities:
A national mission on interdisciplinary cyber physical systems is being carried out by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) (NM-ICPS). 25 Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs) have been established across the nation in prestigious institutions of national significance in advanced technology verticals as part of the Mission. With the aim of conducting research, technology translation, and development for various technologies, including IoT and AI, three of these TIHs are involved in the applications of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in agriculture, namely:
The Indian Institute of Technical (IIT), Ropar, has established the Technology and Innovation Foundation under the technology vertical of “Technologies for Agriculture and Water.”
IIT Bombay has established the “Technologies for Internet of Things and Internet for Everything” technological vertical, which is known as the TIH Foundation of IOT and Internet of Everything (IoE).
IIT Kharagpur has established the “Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning” branch of the AI4ICPS Foundation.
Precision farming, agricultural drones and hopping systems, livestock monitoring, climate monitoring, smart greenhouses, AI and IoT based computer imagery, etc. are some of the applications of AI and IoT in agriculture. Below is a list of the work/activities undertaken by the aforementioned 3 institutes:
The IIT Ropar-Technology and Innovation Foundation is attempting to add Internet of Things (IoT)-based gadgets and sensors to the saffron production and supply chain throughout India.
A project of effective and efficient agriculture technology is being carried out by the TIH Foundation of IOT and IOE, and it intends to create an all-encompassing solution for agriculture technology (Agri Tech) to forecast crop production during the season. An IoT-based platform called EAgriS was created with this in mind. The TIH focuses on aerial robotics for soil parameter monitoring, drone-based imaging, and drone-based spraying as an IoT application in precision agriculture. The goal of TIH is to create a predictive data analysis model for intelligent decision-making based on environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, rainfall, soil parameters such as moisture, temperature, electrical conductivity, pH, NPK, and sulphur, as well as leaf wetness.
The AI4ICPS Foundation is creating artificial intelligence-based technologies for precision agriculture, predictive and forecasting models, and soil health monitoring.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), NASSCOM, and state governments have established Centres of Excellence on the Internet of Things in Bengaluru, Gurugram, Gandhi Nagar, and Visakhapatnam as part of the Digital India efforts. Through the democratisation of creativity and the creation of prototypes, one goal of these centres is to help India become a hotspot for IoT innovation. Agri-tech is one of the areas of concentration for the Centres of Excellence on IoT in Visakhapatnam, and it links numerous organisations like startups, businesses, venture capitalists, the government, and academics.
Funding is provided to State Governments for Digital Agriculture Projects Using Emerging Technologies Like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Internet of Things (IOT), Block Chain, etc. under the National e-Governance Plan in Agriculture (NeGPA) programme under the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.
Since 2018–19, the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) has run a programme dubbed “Innovation and Agri-Entrepreneurship Development” with the aim of fostering the incubation ecosystem and fostering innovation and agripreneurship. In order to directly and indirectly increase the income of farmers by giving them chances and creating jobs for young people, start-ups in the agricultural and related sectors are promoted. In this regard, this Department has appointed twenty-four (24) R-ABIs and five (5) Knowledge Partners (KPs) to provide guidance on the effective and efficient implementation of this programme in various States around the nation. Annexure -I has the specifics.
Agro-processing, Food Technology & Value Addition, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Information & Communication Technology (ICT), Block Chain Technology (BCT), precision farming, Digital agriculture, Block Chain technology, Agri. Logistics, Value & Supply chain management, Online/virtual platform, Agri. Extension, Agri. Inputs, Farm mech., are just a few of the projects that start-ups under the programme are working on.
1102 startups in the agricultural and related sectors have so far been chosen, and a total of Rs. 66.83 crore has been distributed over time. Before giving financial support, these start-ups received two months of training at several agribusiness incubation facilities, such as KPs &R-ABIs.
Work on applying IoT and AI to agriculture has been started by the institutes under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). In Annexure-II, a list of all activities started is provided.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, the Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre (MNCFC) has carried out a few experimental studies using cutting-edge technologies for crop yield estimation through various Government and Private Agencies. In 64 districts across 15 States in 2019–20, pilot studies using space technologies for 9 crops were carried out by 12 agencies, and in Rabi 2019–20, these methods were validated in 15 blocks across 6 States. Additionally, during 2020–21, with the assistance of 7 agencies, the pilot studies were expanded to 100 districts spread across 9 states of the nation during the paddy crop in Kharif 2020 and continued during Rabi 2020–21 during the wheat and rice harvest.
The study used a variety of technologies, including satellite, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), simulation models, internet of things (IoT) devices, and AI/ML algorithms to predict yield at the Gram Panchayat level.
