The government of Andhra Pradesh is planning to use drone technology in crop fertilization, a move that would not only boost productivity but also drastically reduce the risk to farmers' health.
While drones have several benefits, their use in agriculture will guarantee that paddy, chili, cotton, groundnut, and other crops receive the appropriate quantity of fertilizer, insecticide, or pesticide in the least possible time.
According to agricultural experts in the know, the Central and State governments are intending to implement the technology in farming as early as the upcoming Kharif season.
The state government plans to launch 10,000 drones in phases through the Rythu Bharosa Kendras and give training to rural youths on how to maintain and service them, to create jobs for nearly 20,000 people.
Rayalaseema is expected to get 500 drones, with 120 going to Chittoor, 100 to Kadapa, 100 to Anantapur, 50-to 60 to Nandyal, 70 to Kurnool, and the remainder to Rayachoti, Puttaparthi, and Sri Balaji districts.
Drones may be rented from Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) and must be flown by licensed drone pilots, however, the State government is working to educate more individuals to fly them.
PL Varalakshmi, Joint Director of Agriculture (Kurnool), said that while the government intends to use drones in farming, no formal order has been issued yet. "The relevant authorities are working on rules and a common operating system for drone use," she added.
"Drones can help farmers harvest higher crop yields if the technology is deployed efficiently," said K Krishna, a registered pesticide and fertilizer dealer in Gonegandla. Drones in farming, according to P Lakshmi Naveen Gupta, an agricultural PG student, will shield farmers from exposure to dangerous pesticides.
Drone Technology in Farming:
Drone technology is becoming more available for usage in numerous agricultural areas. Even though the technology is still in its development era in India, many companies are working to make it easily accessible to Indian farmers and ready to be utilized to boost agricultural productivity.
Agri-drones can spray chemicals because they have reservoirs that can be loaded with fertilizers and insecticides for spraying on crops in a fraction of the time it takes using traditional methods. As a result, drone technology has the potential to bring in a new era of precision agriculture.
