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ICAR expands precision agriculture push with AI, drones & satellite tech
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Thursday, 20 August, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Mumbai
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The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is expanding the use of precision agriculture technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), drones, remote sensing and satellite imagery, to improve farm productivity, resource-use efficiency and climate resilience, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Bhagirath Choudhary said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
ICAR has taken up a programme of national importance, the Network Programme on Precision Agriculture (ICAR-NePPA), involving 16 ICAR research institutes from different domains. The programme focuses on developing technologies using sensors, remote sensing across ground, drone and satellite platforms, AI and information and communication technologies (ICTs), in line with international best practices in precision agriculture.
The programme covers spatio-temporal monitoring and management of crop and soil health, sensor-based post-harvest quality monitoring of crops such as mango, banana, pulses and rice, IoT-based precision vertical farming for high-value vegetables, sensor-based monitoring of aquatic environments for precision aquaculture, and IoT-enabled livestock health monitoring.
ICAR institutes have developed and validated a range of technologies suited to Indian farming conditions, including sensor-based irrigation, IoT-enabled environmental monitoring, drone-based spraying, AI-enabled precision planters, remote sensing and GIS applications, drip fertigation, poly-mulching, raised-bed cultivation, conservation beds, agro-aqua land configurations, automated livestock management systems, protected cultivation, hydroponics, aeroponics, agrivoltaic farming and precision subsurface drip irrigation.
ICAR has also developed and demonstrated a tank-based super-intensive precision shrimp farming system capable of producing 120–150 tonnes per hectare annually over three production cycles. The system integrates smart automation, biosecurity and eco-efficient management practices.
The council is promoting precision agriculture through AI, IoT and ICT-enabled decision-support systems, drone-based crop monitoring and precision input application, satellite-based crop assessment and resource mapping, sensor-based irrigation and fertigation, precision nutrient management and digital advisory tools.
Among the technologies developed are smart micro-irrigation systems, variable-rate fertiliser applicators, AI- and IoT-enabled jute grading systems, SPAD Meter 2.0 for measuring leaf chlorophyll, IoT-based cold-room monitoring systems, rapid aflatoxin-B1 detection instruments, sensor-based banana supply-chain monitoring with blockchain-enabled traceability, digital twin-based fruit quality monitoring, AI-based grain analyser software and AI-based rice seed quality assessment systems.
ICAR has also developed image-processing and machine-learning technologies for contamination measurement in seed cotton and a portable computer-vision and machine-learning device for rapid, non-destructive measurement of ginning percentage.
Drone technology is being increasingly deployed for crop monitoring and precision application of fertilisers and pesticides. ICAR institutes conducted drone demonstrations across 230 hectares, benefiting 2,487 farmers. Separately, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), ICAR institutes and agricultural universities conducted 38,402 agri-drone demonstrations covering nutrient, fertiliser and pesticide applications across 41,280 hectares, with 4,54,083 farmers participating.
In fisheries, AI and IoT applications include drone-based collection of water samples, distribution of feed and medicines, transportation of fish and goods, biomass estimation and health monitoring. ICAR has also developed an IoT-based dissolved oxygen management system and is using AI and Big Data for fisheries resource assessment and prediction in inland open waters.
In livestock management, AI, IoT sensors, drones and satellite imagery are being used to strengthen disease surveillance, biosecurity and farm management. The ICAR-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics (NIVEDI) uses GIS, satellite spatial datasets and predictive machine-learning models to forecast outbreaks of 15 economically important livestock diseases up to two months in advance.
Wearable IoT devices, including smart neck collars, rumination tags and leg pedometers, are being used to monitor body temperature, rumination activity and reproductive cycles in real time, supporting early detection of health problems.
The government said precision agriculture technologies have delivered measurable gains in productivity, profitability and resource efficiency. Precision irrigation technologies, including solar-powered Jhola Kundi systems, farm ponds and micro-irrigation, increased cropping intensity from 137 per cent to 272 per cent, doubled the crop diversification index from 0.40 to 0.80 and raised average monthly farmer income from Rs 4,644 to Rs 19,676, while reducing dependence on diesel and electricity and mitigating around 40.5 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
In Goa, precision agriculture technologies increased rice and cowpea yields by 4.69 per cent and 6.58 per cent, respectively, while reducing irrigation water use by 92.9 per cent and labour requirements by around 95 per cent. Farm pond-based rainwater harvesting increased crop yields by 20–55 per cent, while polyhouse cultivation integrated with automated drip irrigation and fertigation generated net returns of Rs 2.72 lakh per 15 gunta, with a benefit-cost ratio of 4.57.
In Bihar, the integration of raised beds, drip fertigation and poly-mulching improved nutrient-use efficiency by 30–85 per cent. Drip irrigation and protected cultivation reduced irrigation water requirements by 70–80 per cent, while hydroponics reduced water use by up to 90 per cent.
Drone-based foliar nutrient application increased crop yields by 4–5 per cent and reduced spraying costs by around 15 per cent. The technology can cover one acre in about six minutes using 9.5 litres of water and 0.5 litre of nano-fertiliser, while enabling more uniform application and reducing crop damage.
AI and IoT are also being used to support livestock productivity and disease prevention. According to the government, AI models and IoT-enabled biometric sensors can identify physiological stress and predict potential disease outbreaks 5–12 days before clinical symptoms emerge, potentially reducing veterinary expenses by 20–40 per cent. Wearable sensors for automated estrus detection can improve artificial insemination success rates by 15–30 per cent, while smart microclimate control and precision feed management can increase milk yields by up to 18 per cent.
Through ICAR institutes, KVKs, technology demonstrations, farmer training, capacity-building programmes and collaboration with State departments and other stakeholders, the government is seeking to accelerate the adoption of location-specific precision agriculture technologies among farmers and strengthen sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural production.
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