Farm scientist: AI can change the future of agriculture

K.M. Harini Kumar, Special Officer, University of Agricultural Sciences, Mandya, on Monday, said the future of agriculture can be made brighter by adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) into farm practices.

He was speaking after inaugurating a workshop on ‘The Use of Artificial Intelligence and Agricultural Innovations’, organised at the Central Institute of Indian Languages on the occasion of Radio Kisan Day. The future of agriculture can be improved through the integration of AI applications, he added.

Dr. Kumar observed that India’s agricultural land is like “heavenly land,” but excessive use of chemicals is turning it into “hellish land.”

He emphasised that agriculture forms the foundation of the country’s socio-economic system and the people in rural India largely depend on farming. Food security and food processing industries have immense potential to generate employment, Dr. Kumar added.

Pointing out that the agricultural sector directly and indirectly provides employment to about 46% of the population and contributes around 18% to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), he said industries dependent on agriculture must adopt new dimensions to remain economically strong.

Although the government is making significant contributions to the agricultural sector, farmers are facing challenges like climate change, rising input costs, crop risks, and a lack of market stability. AI can assist farmers in making data-driven and predictive decisions and can help in improving farmers’ livelihoods by enhancing their knowledge, he explained.

All India Radio Assistant Director Manjunath N. Bedre said that radio continues to play an important role in developing the agricultural sector. Efforts are being made to introduce more innovative programmes to reach farmers, he said, adding that agricultural programmes on radio provide farmers with timely information relevant to their present and immediate needs.

Since AI is being adopted across various sectors, its adoption in agriculture would also benefit farmers, he felt.

Central Institute of Indian Languages Director Prof. Shailendra Mohan, All India Radio programme coordinator N. Keshava Murthy, P. Anand, and others were present.