Government initiative for Agri-Entrepreneurship- a Super Booster
Yield directly
impacts a farmer’s cash flow and the ability to respond to fluctuations in the
market. Long-term, yield limits a farmer’s ability to invest into their farm’s
future to increase productivity and decrease risks associated with their crops
(via inputs such as seeds, fertilizer, crop insurance, market/weather info,
livestock health support, etc.) but also to invest into their families in areas
such as education, healthcare, training, etc. The challenge is seeking
affordable, accessible, easy-to-use technologies, products or services to
enhance agricultural productivity in India. In this regard Ministry of
Agriculture, Government of India in
partnership with Startup India for Agri-tech start-ups with a commercially
viable solution to solve in many way for innovative challenges in the sector. It
will provide start-ups with access to priority infrastructure, and make
Agriculture and it allied services an attractive sector for the country's best
brains.
Under this
challenge, major 12 problem statements were issued in the following areas:
1. Development of
simplified, sensor based quick testing method to test nutrients &
micronutrients in soil to reduce the collection, testing time required for the
sample to ensure on the spot results to the farmers. In addition,
simplification of soil testing protocols needs to be done for Soil Health
Management.
2. Real time
assaying and quick grading solution for eNAM to effectively handle huge lots of
agricultural commodities. Electronic National Agriculture Market ( eNAM) is a
virtual market with a physical market (mandi) at the back end to create a
unified national market for agricultural commodities for pan-India electronic
trading.
3. Development of
e-marketplaces to connect food processors with agripreneur/ farmers to bridge
the value gap – Farm to Fork model for agricultural marketing has not kept pace
with the changes in economy, particularly relating to setting up of an
efficient supply chain. National Agriculture Market (NAM) would create a
win-win situation for both i.e. agripreneurs and processors.
4. Price forecast
system for Pulses /Oilseeds /Potato /Onion / Tomato at the time of sowing. In
India, price of commodity is dependent on various external factors such as
area, yield, production, Household food demand, feed demand, etc. After consideration
the sowing patterns, weather and other factor mentioned considering past trends
and other factors.
5. Agriculture
Extension, Scheme information, processes, hand holding support for benefit
under different Government schemes on regular basis at the Panchayat / Common
Service Center / KVK level which will provide information to farmers regarding
schemes and benefits linking with Aadhar, Soil Health Cards and crop as well as
health insurance etc. may be considered on this platform for the welfare of
farmers.
6. Yield estimation
modelling at village or farm level: The success of implementation of Pradhan
Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana depends upon accurate yield estimates at village/farm
level. However, crop yield estimation is a very complex activity, as yield is
influenced by many factors, such as crop genotype, soil, weather, management
practice and various biotic and abiotic stresses and with an immediate
insurance processing technology delivery system.
7. Use of technology
in sorting/ grading/ increasing shelf life of agriculture produce (fruits,
vegetables, flowers): In agriculture, post-harvest handling is the preliminary
stage in a crop’s lifecycle which immediately follows harvest and is important
to extend the marketable life of any produce to ultimately reduce waste while
increase farmers’ earnings.
8. Use of
technology to test adulteration of fresh produce: Food is essential for
nourishment & sustenance of life. Adulteration of food cheats the consumer
and can pose serious risk to health. Food is adulterated if its quality is
lowered or affected by the addition of substances which are injurious to health
or by the removal of substances which are nutritious.
9. Creation of
regional Agri-Kiosk by the respective department to provide a kind of a
one-stop shop for all agricultural needs providing services such as soil
testing, seed selection, appropriate pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides.
Agri-kiosks can also provide the latest agricultural equipment on rent which
make it easily accessible for women farmers.
10. Alternate usage
of paddy straw (left in field after harvesting of paddy) to discourage farmers
from burning the same. The challenge is seeking for technological solutions for
alernative usage of paddy straw to discourage Crop Residue Burning.
11. Technology to
substitute the use of pesticides & insecticides to prevent pre-harvest
losses. Due to lack of effective,
affordable and eco-friendly technologies to control pests, farmers are left with
no choice but to continue spraying harmful and toxic pesticides on crops.
12. Seeking
affordable, accessible, easy-to-use technologies, products or services to
enhance agricultural productivity in India.
Now One of the
biggest issues facing the agricultural sector in India is low yield: India’s
farm yield is 30-50% lower than that of developed nations. Average farm size,
poor infrastructure, low use of farm technologies and best farming techniques,
decrease of soil fertility due to over fertilization and sustained pesticide
use, are leading contributors to low agricultural productivity. Hence for a
mass change in whole government should firmly and sincerely focus on the same
and value addition like agro tourism as in next to no time as possible.