How Technology Can Make Sustainability Attainable For Farmers

Did you know that we have been living on borrowed resources for almost half of 2019?

The Earth Overshoot Day in 2019 was July 26, the earliest ever.

This means we had exhausted all the Earth’s natural resources by July 26, 2019.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Here is another fact: the global population is projected to reach 10 billion by 2050.

Consider the immense resources required to support such a vast population.

Forget fossil fuels, the internet, data security, or even electricity – will there even be enough food and water for all?

Farming was one of the first life skills that humans developed – they learned to plant seeds in holes they dug in the soil with sticks, and used their bare hands to harvest whatever grew.

With time, they learnt to plough the land, build dams, and dig canals to supply water to regions that had insufficient rainfall.

Then came tractors, harvesters, and air-seeding technology, among other innovations, which changed the way farms looked and operated.

The world population has been growing rapidly over the past century, and advances in vaccines and other medical technologies have led to significant improvements in life expectancy and longevity.

To produce enough food for the growing population, newer crop varieties that produced higher yields were developed, along with the use of chemical fertilisers – this was the Green Revolution.

Like the rest of the world, India also embraced the Green Revolution in the 1960s.

With planned irrigation, synthetic fertilisers, and higher-yielding varieties of grains, India emerged as the ‘bread basket’ of the world, and Punjab, ‘the granary of India’.

Adapting to the Green Revolution was a pressing need of the hour, and it was implemented successfully as well.

But in hindsight, it can be said that the Green Revolution has destroyed the earth as much as, if not more than, feeding the human population on the planet.

Food production evolved into an industry, and traditional practices were replaced with more efficient methods for economic prosperity.

Land erosion, deforestation, soil salination, and water pollution are only a few of the consequences of the Green Revolution.

Additionally, consider that chemically grown crops are also irrigation-intensive, placing a significant strain on water resources.

The ‘science’ that was espoused by policymakers in those times gradually became the bane of farmers.

India, a country whose soils were naturally fertile and had no pests in the fields, moved from organic farming to indiscriminate use of pesticides and fertilisers that set off a vicious cycle – the soil steadily lost its ability to nourish crops, which led to increased use of fertilisers, and that deteriorated soil quality further.

What’s more, the toxic chemicals in fertilizers make their way into the produce and enter the food chain.

When they run off with groundwater, they enter water bodies and contaminate them too, harming aquatic life.

Loss of crop diversity, extinction of insect species, destruction of natural soil texture and beneficial microorganisms, deficiency of essential minerals, heavy metal pollution, and similar issues continue to make headlines, largely due to the excessive use of fertilizers.

The shift to organic and sustainable farming is the most effective solution to address the dual issues of population growth and land scarcity.

It is easy to question whether farming can succeed without fertilisers and pesticides.

However, traditional practices such as crop rotation, the use of organic waste and beneficial bacteria, and intercropping are time-tested and proven ways to maintain healthy soil and ensure bountiful crops.

Modern farmers are now more aware than ever of the harmful effects of chemical fertiliser-based farming.

They are adapting to traditional organic farming, which is sustainable and will not only provide enough food for the future but also help keep the planet thriving.

While we are talking about going back to basics, technology can still lend a helping hand to agriculture in India.

Agriculture may be the oldest profession known to mankind, and Artificial Intelligence is a radically new technology; yet, the two can make a remarkable combination.

Artificial intelligence can enhance agricultural production efficiency by identifying yield-reducing factors, such as climate change, pest infestations, and diseases, at the earliest stage.

Farmers can assess temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, water usage, and soil conditions (with infrared rays and sensors) better, and AI-powered data analysis can help improve outcomes.

Detecting weeds, selecting the right herbicide, and applying it in a targeted manner are simplified by AI, which also prevents herbicide overuse.

As a result, fewer chemicals and toxins enter the crops, leading to healthier yields.

Farmers can also utilize AI to develop seasonal forecasting models and adjust their agricultural practices accordingly, thereby improving productivity.

This is particularly beneficial for small farms, which account for 70% of the world’s crops.

India has gradually transitioned from being a primarily agricultural country to an industrial one, and many seasonal workers have migrated from farms and rural areas to cities in search of employment opportunities.

The workforce shortage is another problem that farms can manage with the help of AI.

Agriculture bots can not only work faster and with higher accuracy than human workers, but also be available at all times, unlike human laborers, and thus make farms more cost-efficient.

AI can make farming simpler, more accurate, and more profitable.

While India needs to produce more food for its growing population and protect the soil and environment from chemicals and toxins, it also needs to ensure that resource use is minimized and the benefits of farming are maximized for farmers.

Crop sowing – the time of sowing, method of sowing, and variety of crops to sow – can be improved with the help of AI-powered climate data, market analysis, and historical condition analysis.

AI-aided machinery can also sow crops at the optimal depth and in a uniform, equidistant pattern.

After the entire farming cycle, the storage and supply chain can also be managed more effectively with the help of Artificial Intelligence, leading to reduced spoilage.

AI indeed has the potential to play a significant role in making farming both environmentally and economically sustainable for Indian farmers.