High returns: Collector T. Soundiah inspecting a field of brinjal, raised under precision farming at Mangalam in Tiruchi district. Photo by M. Moorthy, courtesy of The Hindu
Part of India’s National Agriculture Development Program (NADP) promotes a precision farming technique that is gaining popularity, according to a recent story in India’s national newspaper, The Hindu.
Over the past two years, precision farming techniques have been promoted in 900 hectares across the district in various crops including sugarcane, maize, brinjal, tomato, onion, tapioca, sunflower and groundnut.
With installation of drip irrigation system and fertigation (for application of soluble fertilizers) units being essential requirements, farmers could avail a 50 per cent subsidy for the equipment. A farmer could avail a maximum subsidy of Rs.65,000 a hectare, including the cent per cent subsidy of Rs.25,000 for soluble fertilizer, said Collector T. Soundiah, after inspecting some of the precision farming fields in the district on Tuesday.
The higher yield achieved through the drip irrigation systems and fertigation, under which the soluble fertilizer was applied through the drip irrigation system, has been an attraction for farmers.
“This is the first time we have taken up cultivation of brinjal and the results has been encouraging so far,” said A. Ramasamy, who along with his brother A. Easwaran, has raised the vegetable in two acres at Mangalam village in the drought-prone Thathaiyengarpet union. Mr. Ramasamy, who has grown two different hybrid varieties, even takes the longer variety to the Salem Uzhavar Sandhai where such brinjals find a better market.
A cluster-based approach was also being promoted under the scheme, so that small farmers in villages could come together to avail the subsidy given under the NADP in clusters of 20 hectares each. Farmers could achieve up to 50 per cent increase in yield by adopting precision farming techniques, according to S. Robert Vincent, Deputy Director of Horticulture.
Responding to the request of some farmers, Mr. Soundiah said the district administration would take steps to get subsidy for installing solar-powered fences around their fields. Farmers could come forward to avail the subsidy for purchase of refrigerated vehicles, under the National Horticulture Mission, for transporting their produce, he said.
4 Comments on “Precision Farming In India”
Result of fertilizer & water use efficiency.
Ramaiah velmurugan
Senior Agronomist
Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd
Coimbatore, India
Result of fertilizer & water use efficiency.
Ramaiah velmurugan
Senior Agronomist
Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd
Coimbatore, India
Sir,
The technology,Micro irrigation and Nutrigation[Nutrients supply with irrigation-Fertigation] is vital one under present condition to improve the plant productivity and also quality of produce.At present the government gives subsidy towards the intallation of micro irrigation and also for soluble fertilizer to the farmers.This is a boost to the farming community.However,this technology is to be monitored regularly .The support of the firm,who supply the micro irrigation materials,should be continuous one .If any fault in the maintainece ,this system will totally not useful and the quality of the material is to be certified.The soluble fertilizer is now costly.The susidy for soluble fertilizer should be given to the farmers directly.One who used the water soluble fertlilizer will not go back with ordinary fertilizer.The response of WSF is much higher.Subsidy for WSF[Water soluble fertilizer] is to be considered on par with the ordinary fertilizer for the farmers who are not covered under Government scheme.I had experience with this technology on Horticulture crops and the result was very good.
Sir,
The technology,Micro irrigation and Nutrigation[Nutrients supply with irrigation-Fertigation] is vital one under present condition to improve the plant productivity and also quality of produce.At present the government gives subsidy towards the intallation of micro irrigation and also for soluble fertilizer to the farmers.This is a boost to the farming community.However,this technology is to be monitored regularly .The support of the firm,who supply the micro irrigation materials,should be continuous one .If any fault in the maintainece ,this system will totally not useful and the quality of the material is to be certified.The soluble fertilizer is now costly.The susidy for soluble fertilizer should be given to the farmers directly.One who used the water soluble fertlilizer will not go back with ordinary fertilizer.The response of WSF is much higher.Subsidy for WSF[Water soluble fertilizer] is to be considered on par with the ordinary fertilizer for the farmers who are not covered under Government scheme.I had experience with this technology on Horticulture crops and the result was very good.