'Digital tech game changer in agriculture'

 

 

Digital technology is going to be next game changer in this field of agriculture, said Salil Singhal, co-chair, CII, national council on agriculture, chairman and managing director, PI Industries, India. Singhal was addressing participants at a conference on "Digital Pathways in Agriculture, Integrating Advanced Technologies in Indian Agriculture" organized by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at Hotel Taj here on Saturday.

Participants from various fields stressed the need for augmentation of digital technology, research and academics while keeping in view the growing needs of farmers in the age of technological advancement.

Singhal said the aim behind holding the conference is welfare of farmers. He also said instead of aiming at merely increasing productivity of farmers, initiatives need to be taken to increase the income of farmers. "There is an acute shortage of labour in agriculture sector in the rural areas as several youngsters and others prefer to migrate towards urban areas. We need to double the productivity as well as income of farmers and digital technology is going to be next game changer in this field."

Highlighting the importance of digital technology in agri-farming, he cited examples of US and Israel where farmers with the use of precision farming have been able to be ensure their livelihood. He also suggested that to ensure maximum number of farmers avail the benefits of digital technology, more emphasis could be given on the usage of graphics and images as was being done in Japan. "Even those farmers who cannot read would be able to take the benefit," he said.

Source: Times of India