The Haryana government is taking a big step to help farmers get the most out of UAVs and other drones in the agriculture industry. Government is offering training programs to help young farmers learn how to use drones safely and effectively, so they can use pesticides and other chemicals like weedicides, micronutrients, and more.
The Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department of Haryana is training farmers who are members of farmer-producer organizations (FPOs) or custom hiring centers (CHCs). These selected farmers will receive training from the Remote Pilot Training Organization (RPTO), a division of the Drone Imaging and Information Service of Haryana Limited (DRIISHYA), based in Karnal. Notably, Haryana is the first state in India to establish a dedicated training body like DRIISHYA for drones.
According to a senior official, it was revealed that DRIISHYA has displayed its expertise by effectively presenting several proof of concepts (POCs). One of the POCs presented involves the spraying of urea and pesticides. The government's initial plan is to provide training to 500 farmers so that they can engage in drone-based agricultural applications, which includes addressing locust attacks.
Aditya Dabas, Deputy Director of Agriculture (DDA), stated that the farmers undergoing training would be granted licenses approved by the Civil Aviation Department. Additionally, they would be taught the efficient operation of agricultural drones. Dabas mentioned that the department's pilot project offered an excellent chance for interested farmers and that applications would be processed based on the order in which they were received.
The training program, which typically costs around Rs 50,000 per candidate, will be offered free of charge to the selected farmers. This initiative not only aims to enhance agricultural practices but also to inspire young individuals to engage in the agricultural sector, as highlighted by an official.
The training session will span approximately 9-10 days. It will include 5-6 days of training for licensing procedures and an additional 3-4 days of instruction on operating agricultural drones. Wing Commander Giriraj Singh Punia (retd.), the Chief Operating Officer of DRIISHYA, explained that two instructors from the RPTO will train a group of over 30 farmers simultaneously.
Utilization of drones would bring about a revolutionary change in the agriculture sector. The major advantage of the technology, according to the official, lay in its ability to save time and optimize resource usage, ultimately resulting in increased crop yields.
