Digitising farming: Telangana to launch India's first agri-robotics lab at PJTAU today

HYDERABAD: In a first for the country, Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University (PJTAU) is set to launch the Agri Robotics IoT Solutions for Agriculture (ARISA) Lab on Saturday.

Supported by BITS Pilani and IIT Hyderabad, the initiative marks a major step toward digitising agriculture in Telangana. The university aims to unveil its first robotic model within a year - designed specifically to assist in weeding and harvesting tasks.University officials highlighted a growing concern: The average age of farmers in the state is now around 60, and the younger generation is showing less interest in agriculture.

With the prospect of a labour shortage looming, there's an urgent need to make farming more efficient and less labour-intensive. The ARISA Lab will focus not only on robotics but also on Internet of Things (IoT) innovations, pesticide control, and weed management technologies.

Speaking about the initiative, vice-chancellor Aldas Janaiah said, "In the coming years, fewer people may be willing to work in agriculture, so we must develop advanced tools.

The robotics lab will function under our newly established Centre for Digital Agriculture. The State Bank of India has sanctioned ₹12 crore for this initiative. We plan to roll out a customised robot model within a year that can handle weeding and harvesting.

" He said the long-term vision is to digitally transform agriculture in Telangana by 2047. Apart from the ARISA Lab, the centre will house three other advanced labs aimed at developing AI-based solutions to tackle key agricultural challenges.

One such unit is a drone lab, working in partnership with the Telangana Drone Academy to train farmers in drone operations.A third lab has started piloting digital solutions in Vemulawada. According to officials, smart soil sensors deployed there can generate instant reports on soil nutrient levels - functioning like an ATM dispensing data. "Understanding soil nutrition is crucial for choosing the right cropping patterns and ensuring better yields," an official explained. The same lab is also developing sensor-based systems for pesticide and water management, with alerts that can warn farmers of pest threats in advance. Technical and financial backing for this effort is being provided by Germany.