Role of Precision Farming in Sustainable Development of Hill Agriculture

Abstract

Precision farming concept was initiated for site specific crop management as a combination of global positioning system (GPS) technology, variable rate technology (VRT), remote sensing, yield mapping etc. to optimize the profitability, sustainability with a reduced environmental impact. With rich land, abundant water and a favorable climate, hill agriculture in India has considerable potential to grow, and contribute towards improving farm incomes, enhancing food and nutrition security, and accelerating the overall growth of the region. Unfortunately the growth potential of hill agriculture has remained under-exploited. Precision farming is the best remedy for the problems faced by farmers on hills. Various issues of lack of system-specific production technologies, difficult terrains, inaccessible habitations, crushing of crops by wild animals, management of small, scattered, fragmented, uneven lands etc. can be sought out easily with the methods of precision farming. Precision farming not only may utilize fully resources, reduce investment, decrease pollution of the environment but also get the most of social and economic efficiency. Precision farming methods helps in recognizing areas by farmers that have productivity problems and to select the best solution, as on hills much of the land strips may have productivity problems due to erosion, runoffs, low temperature etc. The precision farming model for hills in India while addressing these issues would provide an innovative route for sustainable agriculture in globalised and liberalized economy. The speed of transformation to precision farming depends much on the level of commitment of politicians, scientists and technocrats at whose mercy the farmer really is.