Part 9: Technology Age – Where does India stand in Agriculture Technologies?

 

Part 9: Technology Age – Where does India stand in Agriculture Technologies?

Background

Agriculture experts have mapped four agricultural revolutions to include: First Agricultural Revolution - around 10,000 B.C. in the Middle East where transition from a lifestyle of hunting and gathering to one of planting and sustaining and settlement; Second Agricultural Revolution - 18th century to the middle of the 19th century. Subsistence methods based on new crop rotation techniques and selective breeding of livestock. Land privatized who focused on organic farming and passed down from one generation to another; Third Agricultural Revolution - During the 1950s, use of nitrogen fertilizer allowed large farms that could produce feed for livestock at high rates. Norman Borlaug, the "Father of the Green Revolution", received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970. In India, M S Swaminathan popularized high-yield varieties of wheat and rice; and Fourth Agricultural Revolution - automation, gene editing, nutrigenics, traceability, and livestock farming due to digital technology advances.

Status of India’s Modern Agricultural Revolutions

The Green Revolution changed India’s image from “begging bowl” to “bread-basket.” However, 85% are small and marginal farmers, who still practice subsistence methods, but use High Yield Variety seeds, nitrogen fertilizers and farm machinery (Third Agricultural Revolution). Due to excessive use of fertilizers, soil quality has deteriorated and water sources are polluted. Cultivation by flooding remains the norm. The output in dry lands depends on the vagaries of weather and crop yields well below the global average.

Furthermore, post-harvest losses are up to 40% for some crops due to lack of infrastructure. Although India is now self-sufficient in many sectors of food production, it relies on imports for commodities such as pulses and oilseeds. More importantly, by 2050, the demand for food will surge 50%, in line with rapid population growth and improved living standards of the poor.

Simultaneously, other revolutions have taken place to include: Fish (Blue Revolution); Meat/Tomato (Red Revolution); Fruits/Honey/Horticulture (Golden Revolution); Fertilizers (Grey Revolution); Leather/Cocoa/Non-Conventional Products (Brown Revolution); Cotton (Silver Fiber Revolution); Egg/Poultry (Silver Revolution); Milk (White Revolution); Jute (Golden Fiber Revolution); Onion/Pharmaceuticals/ Prawn (Pink Revolution); Potato (Round Revolution); Mustard and Sunflower (Yellow Revolution); and 2nd Green revolution (Protein Revolution).

Global Ranking - Top Four Nations

China has only 10% of the world's arable land and largest pool of agricultural labor. China is the world's leading agricultural producer with 2020 annual output valued at $1.56 trillion with $1.5 trillion of which was food. It produces a quarter of the global grain output and leads in the production of cereals, cotton, fruit, vegetables, meat, poultry, eggs, and fishery products. Despite the growth of agricultural output, China has gone from full self-sufficiency in food production to relying on imports as of 2000.

India had the second-highest agricultural output at $403.5 billion and in 2020 with $382.2 billion due to food production. Much of India's output is produced by subsistence farmers and consumed locally. India is the world's largest producer of milk, jute, and pulses. India is also the world's second-largest producer of rice, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables, cotton, and groundnuts. India remains the world's largest exporter of refined sugar and milled rice - 9th place among agricultural exporters in 2019.

The U.S., ranked third, is the world's top food exporter due to high crop yields and extensive agricultural infrastructure. In 2020, the U.S. is ranked third in agricultural output at $307.4 billion—$306.4 billion of which was food. Corn, soybeans, dairy, wheat and sugar cane were the top five U.S. agricultural commodities. Cereal crop yields and output have continued to rise despite a significant decline in planted acreage in recent decades. The U.S. was by far the leading global exporter in 2021 with the value of U.S. exports to $177 billion, paced by a 25% increase in exports to China to $33 billion.

Brazil was the world's fourth-ranked agricultural producer in 2020 with output valued at $135.8 billion. $125.3 billion of Brazil's agricultural output is food. Brazil's agricultural export value of $85.2 billion in 2020 ranked it third after the U.S. and the Netherlands. Brazil is the top global exporter of soybeans, raw sugar, and poultry. The proportion of the workforce employed in agriculture has declined steadily over the past three decades, from 20% in 1991 to 9% by 2019.

Country-Wise Yields – Rice and Wheat

Country-wise yields comparison of “Rice and Wheat” are analyzed to provide a balanced perspective of where India stands in adopting advanced technologies of the 3rd and 4th Agricultural Revolutions. Ipso facto, Indian climate – three seasons in a year - provides ample opportunities to become leading exporter in all crops provided one transfers advanced technologies most appropriate and best suited to small and marginal farmers, which is the real challenge due to high costs.

During the period of 2017/18 – 2021/22, annual average production of Rice of the top two countries includes: China with 148.277 MT/ha; and India with 120.544 MT/ha. However, the average yield per hectare of Rice in the world includes: 10.03 MT in Australia; 8.88 MY in Tajikistan; 8.83 MT in Egypt; 8.62 MT in Uruguay; 8.23 MT in Peru; 7.04 MT in China and 4.81 MT in Bangladesh. In India, production of rice per hectare is 3.96 MT only.

In 2020, the total global production of wheat was 760 million tons. China, India, and Russia are the three largest individual wheat producers in the world, accounting for about 41% of the world’s total wheat production to include: 135,254,710 MT in China; and 107,590,000 MT in India. The US is the 4th largest wheat producer. However, the average yield of Wheat per hectare in the world in 2020 includes: 9.93 MT in New Zealand; 8.1 in Germany; 7.37 MT in Zambia; 6.96 in UK; 6.57 MT in Egypt; and 6.38 MT in Saudi Arabia. In the case of India, the average yield of wheat per hectare is 3.43 MT only.

It is quite clear that the yields of Rice and Wheat of Indian farmers are nearly 2/5th of the top country. Similarly, the case is in all other varieties of crops. Even in the case of production of milk in the world in 2020, India is on the top with 194,800 thousand tones that accounts for 40.41% of the world's production of milk. However, while an average Indian cow gives an average of 10-15 liters’ of milk a day, HF and Jersey give nearly 20-25 liters’ of milk per day. In the US, they give up to 70 liters’ per day as well.

Global Agriculture Revolution Breakthroughs

Innovation is imperative than ever before. The industry is facing huge challenges: rising costs of supplies; shortage of labor: and changes in consumer preferences. Technology makes farms more efficient. Major technology innovations include: Automation, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, Digital Agriculture, Precision Agriculture, Plant Breeding, Modern Greenhouses, Indoor Vertical Farming, Solar, Water Management Technology, Laser Scarecrow, Bees, Block chain and Livestock technology.

Farm Automation, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Farm automation has been shaping world agriculture since the early 20th century, associated with “smart farming”, which addresses major issues like a rising global population, farm labor shortages and costs, higher productivity and changing consumer preferences. Motorized mechanization has brought significant benefits in terms of improved productivity, reduced drudgery and more efficient allocation of labor, but also some negative environmental impacts.

Fourth Agricultural Revolution “farm automation” is based on robotics innovation to develop drones, computer vision software, autonomous tractors, robotic harvesters, automatic watering, seeding robots, and drones which are replacing manual farm operations. It brings together agricultural machinery, computer systems, electronics, chemical sensors, and data management to improve equipment operation and decision-making, and ultimately reduce human input and error.

Remote sensors, satellites, and UAVs can gather information 24 hours per day over an entire field. A satellite can see the differences in the amount of light absorbed by different areas of the field, allowing farmers to generate a map of plant health across the entire field. They can scan and monitor high resolution images of the land quickly besides the health of soils, seeds and plants, temperature, humidity, and detect crop damage in real time. Remote sensors enable algorithms to interpret a field's environment as statistical data that can be understood and useful to farmers for decision-making. Algorithms process the data, adapting and learning based on the data received. The idea is to allow farmers to gain a better understanding of the situation on the ground through advanced technology that can tell them more about their situation than they can see with the naked eye. The aim is that farmers can use AI to achieve their goal of a better harvest through making better decisions in the field.

Digital Agriculture

Digital agriculture and its related technologies have opened a wealth of new data opportunities rapidly transforming agriculture: data, predictive analytics, AI and overall farm management, which save farmer’s time and money, and enable unprecedented precision and efficiency. It is helping to create sturdier crops that are resistant to disease, drought and herbicide, which in turn increases yields. About 24 percent of carbon emission equivalents come from agriculture. Digital solutions and big data may enable climate funds to invest in small, remote, and disconnected smallholders applying climate-smart farm irrigation practices to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Precision Agriculture

Precision agriculture is an agricultural resource management strategy that collects, processes, and evaluates data - moisture levels, pest stress, soil conditions, and micro-climates - and offers insights to help farmers optimize and increase soil quality and productivity. .

Plant Breeding

Plant breeding – gene editing - today involves some of the world’s most sophisticated technologies and practices to develop the plants. Gene editing enables scientists to make more targeted improvements within a plant’s DNA to produce a better crop. These “edits” fine-tune a plant’s own genetic material and can result in better harvests more quickly and predictably than other plant breeding tools and practices. Also, they help farmers improve yield stability and the potential for greater return on investment. As per findings of acreage and yield changes, plantings of single-pest resistant varieties and herbicide-tolerant varieties increased yields by nearly 70-80% in corn.

Precision Breeding platform will drive tailored solutions that reflect the specific needs of customers’ farms, crops, soils and agronomic practices. Precision Breeding uses AI technology to guide genetic changes and access to more data, breeders can quickly and accurately identify the precise changes needed to remove negative plant traits or emphasize positive ones. Ultimately, precision breeding results in the delivery of seed varieties tailored to growers’ unique field conditions.

Agricultural geneticists can apply mini chromosome technology to enhance a plant’s traits without altering the genes in any way. Since mini chromosomes contain small amounts of genetic material, it’s possible to use this technology to make plants more drought-tolerant or resistant to pests without interfering with the host’s natural development. In short, mini chromosome technology allows genetic engineers to create crops that require fewer pesticides, fungicides, and fertilizers, reducing reliance on harmful chemicals.

Modern Greenhouses

The Greenhouse industry has been transforming from small scale facilities to more large-scale facilities that compete directly with land-based conventional food production and becoming increasingly tech-heavy, large-scale, capital-infused, urban-centered using LED lights and automated control systems to perfectly tailor the growing environment. New green houses are designed for the sustainable use of inputs. Water used for crops will be recycled. 100% of harvested materials will be used for compost and beneficial insects will be used to reduce pesticide applications. The global greenhouse market produces nearly US $350 billion in vegetables annually. India’s production comprises less than one percent.

Indoor Vertical Farming

Indoor vertical farming can be defined as the practice of growing produce stacked one above another in a closed and controlled environment. By using growing shelves mounted vertically, it significantly reduces the amount of land space needed to grow plants. Quite often, the shelves don’t require soil—they’re either hydroponic or aeroponic: Hydroponics is a gardening practice that grows plants in water and nutrient solutions; and Aeroponic suspends the roots of the crops in the air, with emitters intermittently spraying them with water and nutrients. Indoor vertical farms enable growers to control variables such as light, temperature, water, and sometimes, carbon dioxide levels, allowing them to get healthier and bigger yields. The reduced water and energy usage optimizes energy conservation - vertical farms use up to 70% less water than traditional farms. Labor is also greatly reduced by using robots to handle harvesting, planting, and logistics, solving the challenge farms face from the current labor shortage. In lieu of natural sunlight, artificial grow lights are used.

Solar

The solar agricultural market is still in the early stages of development. High costs, limited awareness of the benefits, lack of appropriate policy incentives and limited access to finance for farmers and suppliers are the constraints. Access to clean, reliable energy enables farmers and agribusinesses to increase food production and engage in value-added processing. It also allows farmers living in off-grid areas to replace expensive diesel generators with cleaner technologies.

Water Management Technology

Flood irrigation is still the method of cultivation particularly in dry lands that usually have insufficient rainfall in order to make them arable. Besides wasting over two-thirds of the water, flood irrigation can overwater plants, affecting their growth. It could also carry excess fertilizers into streams and lakes, contaminating freshwater sources. The technology of N-Drip, a micro drip irrigation system, allows water to slowly drip to plants’ roots, creating the right environment for crops to thrive. The technology reduces water usage by up to 50% and improves crop quality.

Laser Scarecrow

Pesky birds or rodents can be a menace to growing crops in an open field. After discovering that birds are sensitive to the color green, a laser scarecrow, which projects green laser light (not visible by humans in sunlight), 600 feet across a field to startle birds before destroying crops. Early tests with laser scarecrows found that the bird population around farmlands was reduced by up to 70% to 90%.

Bee Vectoring Technologies (BVT)

However, old-fashioned conservation still has an incredibly important role to play. Bee Vectoring Technologies (BVT) uses commercially reared bees to deliver targeted crop controls through pollination, replacing chemical pesticides with an environmentally safe crop protection system. The scientifically designed bumblebee hive allows bees to pick up a trace amount of pest control powders on their legs to spread as they travel within the field. This innovation in agriculture technology supports improved sustainable farming, crop yield, and soil quality. BVT’s solution is suitable for many crops, including blueberries, sunflowers, apples, and tomatoes, and it also works for farms of all sizes. When it comes to U.S. crop production, honey bees are worth $20 billion.

Livestock Technologies

New developments in the past 8-10 years provide farmers with data-driven insights, allowing farmers to enhance or improve the productivity capacity, welfare, or management of animals and livestock. The concept of the ‘connected cow’ is a result of more dairy herds being fitted with sensors to keep track of daily activity and to monitor health and increase productivity. Genomics help livestock producers understand the genetic risk of their herds and determine the future profitability of their livestock. By being strategic with animal selection and breeding decisions, cattle genomics allows producers to optimize profitability and yields of livestock. Some innovations redefining livestock farming include: automated dairy installations milk cows automatically without human intervention, and the milk sensors also help farmers monitor the milk quality; automated cleaning systems remove waste, enabling cleaner as disease-free environments; non-antibiotic treatment uses acoustic pulse technology (APT) for bovine mastitis, a cow disease; and automated feeder systems provide animals with feeding mixtures tailored to their specific needs etc. Similarly, in poultry and other agribusinesses.

Research and Transfer of Advanced Technologies

Finally, there is no dearth of research institutes (including ICRISAT), agricultural universities of all types, NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development), CAPART (Council for Advancement of People's Action and Rural Technology), NIRD (National Institute of Rural Development), SIRDs (State’s Institutes of Rural Development) and agricultural officers at State, District and Mandal levels in India. Yet, transfer of advanced Agriculture technologies to small and marginal farmers remains a far distant cry and in limbo. In some cases, even the subsidies for greenhouses and micro drip services have been given to farmers in black cotton soils traditionally used for growing paddy. Time is ripe at least now to improve farming scientific research and farmer’s education through chatbots that may greatly improve and reduce the costs of educating and informing farmers. Farmers may be able to quickly get practical answers to questions, for example, crop diseases, plant protection and seeding and harvest times and about animal diseases, health, and vaccination.

India is struck at the cross-roads of moving ahead with technologies of 3rd and 4th Agriculture Revolutions. In the present vicious politics, the prospects for making a clean break from the subsistence agriculture practices appear distant. The escape route is through heavy subsidies to those 85% small and marginal farmers opting for advanced farm technologies – high-yielding seeds, greenhouses, solar devices etc., at subsidized rates. Also, encourage infrastructure by subsidies for greenhouses, micro drip irrigation in dry lands, cold storages to eliminate waste etc. Finally and most importantly ensure effective transfer of latest state of the art technologies through various extension agencies.

Article by GB Reddy Sir