The IIT, Ropar, has got a grant of Rs 311 crore from the Union Ministry of Education to set up a centre of excellence for developing artificial intelligence (AI)-based solutions in the field of agriculture.
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Director of the IIT, Ropar, Professor Rajiv Ahuja told The Tribune that the project aimed at taking AI-driven innovations to the grassroots level and empowering farmers with cutting-edge tools for better farm management. The institute would work for leveraging AI for sustainable agriculture and food security in the country, he said.
The institute has already developed some AI-based solutions to assist farmers in animal husbandry and beekeeping. Digital Bee Sence technology has been developed by the institute to monitor bee health using AI. It helps in ensuring effective pollination, resulting in higher crop yield.
The institute’s other innovative projects include a solution for AI use in livestock management, a smart tag to monitors the health of livestock that sends alerts on the mobile phones of farmers, an AI tool for precision farming that helps in optimising nitrogen levels in the soil etc.
He said these innovative projects were a significant step towards shaping the future of Indian agriculture. “We are committed to building a future where AI and technology become integral part of farming, ensuring food security and sustainability,” he added.
An AI-driven crop yield prediction project is being developed. It will use satellite data along with soil information and meteorology information to accomplish district-level yield forecast accurately. With earlier predictions, farmers will be able to evaluate their harvesting strategies to minimise losses.
A crop-classification project is also being developed. It will be able to classify plants in crop farming so that better crop management is achieved by allocating resources precisely. Data-driven decision-making will equip both farmers and policymakers to arrive at decisions based on more assertive reasoning. The initiative aims at benefiting 50,000 farmers.
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