Agri-tech has improved productivity and post-harvest management, say experts at webinar

Experts at a webinar said advances in agricultural technology have brought tremendous advances in the agricultural sector, increasing production diversity and creating innovative solutions to the challenges of modern farming.

They talked about the topic ‘Agricultural Technology Revolution’ organized jointly with SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST). Hindu As part of the Future Career Conversations series.

Devinder Dhingra, Principal Scientist (Process Engineering), Department of Agricultural Engineering, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), said 47% of farm work is now mechanized and the introduction of scientific methods has led to overproduction, which in turn has led to export of agricultural produce. While mechanization of harvesting of horticultural crops continues to pose a challenge, harvesting of field crops is largely mechanized and farmers use precision equipment for the same.

Dr. “Drones are actively used for crop management and pesticide spraying,” Dhingra said, adding that crop storage mechanisms have also undergone major changes.

Samunnati Foundation CEO Poorna Pushkala said the sector is supported by numerous decentralized energy systems and various ad tech innovations. “We currently have highly customized solutions for climatic and geographical conditions. There are also various post-harvest technologies on the market created by students or professionals with less than five years of experience,” he said. He added that anyone with a passion for solving problems in an innovative way will have a field in agriculture.

SRMIST Faculty of Engineering and Technology Dean Leenus Jesu Martin M. said that agriculture, which was initially an independent discipline, has now become a multidisciplinary field in which mechanical, automation and computer engineers play a major role in the mechanization process. “Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning have formed the basis of smart farming, and the Internet of Things has played a role in interconnecting various farm tasks,” he said.

SRM Faculty of Agricultural Sciences Dean Jawaharlal M. said that almost all branches of engineering and technology can be linked to agriculture. He added that while collective and cooperative farming systems benefit workers, high-value crops can be produced in low volume if the technology is linked to agriculture.

AM Jigeesh, Senior Deputy EditorHinduHe moderated the webinar, which can be accessed below: