7 Imperatives To Build A Viksit Agri Economy By 2047

Table of Contents

Context

India’s agriculture has made strides in productivity but continues to lag in the adoption of several modern technology innovations.

Use of AI in Agriculture: India is beginning to adopt AI for applications like weather forecasting, pest detection, and crop yield optimization, but usage is limited to tech-savvy farmers.
- Global Comparison: In the US and Europe, generative AI tools are widely used for precision farming, providing real-time agronomic insights.
- Recommendations:
  - Develop vernacular AI platforms for smallholder farmers.
  - Partner with AgTech companies to create affordable AI solutions.
  - Disseminate AI-based advisory services through government programs.

Regenerative Farming Practices: Some regions are experimenting with organic and zero-budget natural farming, but monoculture and chemical reliance dominate.
- Global Leaders: Countries like France and the US have structured policies supporting regenerative agriculture.
- Recommendations:
  - Implement a national regenerative farming
  - Encourage private sector-led R&D for capital-efficient agro-ecological practices.

Robotics Adoption: Robotics in Indian agriculture is limited due to high costs and a large rural labor force.
- Basic automation tools exist, but advanced technologies like robotic harvesters are not accessible.
- Recommendations:
  - Develop low-cost robotic solutions tailored for small farms.
  - Establish AgTech hubs for testing and deploying automation technologies.
  - Promote public-private partnerships to scale robotics innovation.

Alternative Protein Market Development: The alternative protein sector in India is nascent, primarily driven by startups, facing challenges in affordability and scalability.
- Global Comparison: The EU leads in alternative proteins through government-backed initiatives and R&D.
- Recommendations:
  - Collaborate with global leaders to enhance production techniques.
  - Increase public awareness of lab-grown proteins.

Digital Twins in Agriculture: Field trials in India are manual and time-consuming, delaying new crop technology deployment.
- Global Leaders: The US utilizes digital twin technology at scale to model field trials virtually.
- Recommendations:
  - Partner with AgTechs to pilot digital twin projects.
  - Train researchers in digital modeling techniques.
  - Explore tax incentives for investing in digital twin solutions.

Blockchain Technology: Blockchain applications in India are still experimental, primarily focused on food traceability with limited infrastructure and farmer awareness.
- Global Leaders: China has integrated blockchain across agricultural supply chains for transparency and fraud reduction.
- Recommendations: Focus on scaling blockchain solutions for export crops to enhance price realization for farmers.
Climate-Smart Farming Techniques: Programs like PM-KUSUM promote renewable energy for irrigation; however, large-scale climate-smart initiatives are limited.
- Recommendations:
  - Scale up micro-irrigation technologies.
  - Invest in climate-resilient seed varieties and bio-based crop protection products.
  - Leverage AI to develop localized climate advisory systems.