Future of Farming & Agriculture: Transformation through Artificial Intelligence (AI)

There is no denying that technology has drastically changed the way we live and work. With the current trends in artificial intelligence, almost every industry has advanced at an unprecedented rate. Farmers today are using GPS-guided tractors, drones, and other hi-tech equipment to increase yields and diminish expenses.

With the rise in population, the shortage of arable land has arisen as a key issue in India, requiring more creativity and expertise in the context of agriculture. Under this, special emphasis will be laid on increasing the yield and productivity of the crop with less land use.

Despite many major efforts to improve agriculture in India since independence, even today this region is facing problems like dependency on monsoon and lack of modern equipment. In this situation, artificial intelligence can be helpful in increasing agricultural productivity midst of issues like environmental change.

Also, due to the breakdown of the agriculture supply system during the Corona crisis, farmers and consumers suffered greatly. According to agricultural specialists, a poor supply chain will affect both the farmers and the consumers. As a result, major reform and modernization in this field are required.

The Indian government’s think tank, NITI Aayog, has partnered with Google to promote the country’s burgeoning artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) ecosystem.

The application of artificial intelligence or AI as it is commonly called will be of great significance in the agricultural revolution. Recent AI industry trends have shown that AI will be immensely involved in both agricultural fields and the agri-supply chain. 

This article will cover the artificial intelligence scopes and artificial intelligence trends in the agricultural industry.

Current Problems in the Agriculture Industry and Supply Chain

Many issues confront Indian agriculture. Because of these issues, the country’s backwardness and stagnation continue. Therefore, in such a situation, it becomes necessary to understand the critical factors that are causing major issues in Indian agriculture.

Despite new farm technologies and farm-management practices, Indian farmers are still adopting traditional knowledge. As a result, they are unable or unwilling to make sound decisions and select high-yielding crops in order to maximize profits.

In India, the non-availability of high-quality seeds is a big problem. It is crucial to create good quality seeds and the proper distribution, but unfortunately, most of the country’s farmers do not have access to high-grade seeds.

Agriculture in India is heavily reliant on rain. There is a severe scarcity of permanent irrigation systems. Because of this dependency on rainwater, Indian agriculture is extremely vulnerable – excellent rainfall leads to good harvests, while droughts cause a huge loss of productivity. It is vital to establish permanent irrigation systems in all parts of the country in order to ensure agricultural production stability.

Another major problem of Indian agriculture is the lack of finance. The majority of small farmers obtain their funds from non-institutional sources such as moneylenders and landlords. They charge very high-interest rates.

In relation to the needs of farmers, the availability of institutional finance is quite limited. Lack of finance is a major obstacle to the growth of Indian agriculture.

The holdings in India are not only small but also scattered. Modern technology is not permitted in smallholdings. The cost of management increases greatly due to scattered holdings. It contributes to the backwardness of agriculture and the poverty of the farmers.

The agricultural product marketing system is still highly unorganized. In the absence of an effective marketing infrastructure, farmers have to depend on local traders and middlemen to sell their farm produce at a low price.

Due to the inefficiency of FPOs (Farmer Producer Organizations), there is no organized recorded data and information found. FPOs should be strengthened in India. Commodity-specific FPOs may be encouraged to develop value chains.

Agricultural supply chains are plagued by inadequate management because of insufficient transparency, traceability, and specialist vehicles.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is one technology that could help meet the increasing demands for agricultural products. AI can be used in a number of ways to improve agricultural productivity, including yield predictions, pest and disease control, and irrigation management.

Scientists use AI and data science to analyze massive agricultural data and develop cutting-edge AI technologies for agriculture and other agricultural solutions. And, this is one of the key factors that make the opportunities available for AI in Indian agriculture unique. 

With the help of AI, farmers will be able to analyze various types of data (like weather conditions, temperature, water usage, and soil conditions collected from their fields) in real-time every day and make better decisions by identifying problems.

Yield predictions are important for farmers as they can help them to make decisions about when to plant and harvest their crops. AI can be used to create models that predict yields based on data such as weather conditions and soil type. This information can help farmers to optimize their planting and harvesting schedules.

Agricultural AI techniques are used to detect diseases, pests, nutritional deficiencies, etc. in plants to improve agricultural precision. AI sensors can identify weeds, and then based on their identification, select the appropriate weedicide and spray the exact amount of weedicide in that area.

The shortage of workforce in the agriculture sector has arisen as a key concern. AI Agriculture Bots can be a suitable solution to overcome this shortage of workers.

These bots provide additional support for the tasks of human workers and can be used in several ways, for example, these bots can harvest crops in greater quantities and faster than human workers. They can identify and remove weeds more accurately, and through their use, agricultural costs can be drastically reduced.

Apart from this, the help of chatbot is also being taken by the farmers for consultation related to agriculture. These specialized chatbots, built with the help of experts in agriculture, help answer a variety of questions and provide advice and recommendations on specific agricultural problems.

Impact of AI Already Being Seen in the Agriculture and Supply-chain Sector

The impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already being seen in the agriculture sector. Farmers are using AI-powered precision farming techniques to increase yields and decrease inputs.

AI is also being used to develop new varieties of crops that are more resistant to pests and diseases. Agri-supply chain companies are using AI to optimize their operations and logistics. And, AI is even being used to develop new agricultural products and services.

There is no doubt that AI is going to have a major impact on agriculture in the years to come. Farmers and agri-supply chain companies that embrace AI will be well-positioned to reap the benefits.

Why AI is Playing Such a Critical Role in Agriculture?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a critical role in the agriculture sector as it helps farmers to increase crop yields, improve crop quality, and reduce production costs. In addition, AI can help farmers to optimize irrigation systems, predict weather patterns, and forecast market prices.

The use of AI in the agriculture sector is not new. However, the recent advances in AI technology are providing farmers with new tools and capabilities that were not previously possible. For example, machine learning algorithms can now be used to automatically identify pests and diseases in crops and then provide recommendations for treatment. This is a significant improvement over traditional methods of pest control, which can often be ineffective and labor-intensive.

AI is not only assisting farmers in improving their operations, but it is also playing a role in agri-supply chains. They employ an autonomous system for loading-unloading, packing, picking, delivering, and tracing, which speeds up the entire procedure.

Overall, AI is having a positive impact on the agriculture sector by helping farmers to improve their operations and agri-supply chains.

Future of AI in Agriculture

There is no doubt that artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing many industries. The potential for AI in agriculture is especially exciting, as the industry faces many challenges that could be addressed with smart technology. From improving crop yields to reducing the need for pesticides, AI has the potential to transform the way we grow food.

In the near future, AI-enabled precision farming will become more common, as farmers seek to increase yields and reduce costs. Machines will be able to identify pests and diseases early and target them with specific treatments. AI will also help farmers optimize irrigation schedules, based on data about weather and soil conditions.

In the longer term, AI could help us develop new crops that are resistant to pests and diseases or that require less water or fertilizer. The possibilities are endless and exciting, but it will take time for these innovations to come to fruition. In the meantime, we can expect AI to make a big impact on agriculture, improving efficiency and sustainability in the years to come. 

The potential for artificial intelligence in agriculture is huge. With the right implementation, AI can help farmers increase yields, decrease costs, and improve the quality of their products. However, there are still many challenges to overcome before AI can be widely adopted in agriculture.

We need better data collection methods, more powerful computing resources, and improved algorithms. But if we can surmount these obstacles, then the future of agriculture looks very promising indeed. 

Artificial Intelligence Courses in India

If you enjoy artificial intelligence technologies, then a huge opportunity is waiting for you from one side of the planet to the other. A career in artificial intelligence is unlimited, highly sophisticated, and generously compensated. An artificial intelligence course can help you acquire the knowledge you need and there are many good AI courses in India. 

The main artificial intelligence scopes in India and around the world are Data Scientists, Research Scientists, Machine Learning Engineers, Software Engineers, Business Intelligence Developers, Software Architects, Big Data Engineers/Architects, Data Analysts, NLP Engineers, and Robotics Engineers. A professional with an AI certification can do specialization in any of the above segments.

If you are wondering how to become an artificial intelligence engineer, then you can check Hero Vired’s Integrated Program in Data Science, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence. An artificial intelligence online course is one of the most in-demand professional courses due to the rising demand in different domains such as agriculture.