Smart Farming for Smart Future of Agriculture

The domestication of animals and plant cultivation through the adoption of systematic farming practices, as well as the green revolution brought on by the invention of chemical fertilizers and the introduction of hybrid varieties a few decades ago, are just a few of the revolutions that have occurred in agriculture. Now it is the phase of agriculture revolution 4.0 triggered by the exponentially increased use of ICT in agriculture. The smart farming with the help of ICT technologies could bring out possible solution to the challenges faced in agriculture sector that includes lack of resources, climate change etc. The objective of the present investigation was to compare the yield and nutrient requirement (NPK) for cultivating sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) under smart farming and farmer’s practice as a field trial in a farmer’s plot at Nedumangad block of Thiruvananthapuram district. Under smart farming practice, the agro advisory for cultivating the crop was given through SMS to the farmers in every ten days’ interval. The advisory was generated based on the field’s real-time weather parameters, crop stage, and initial soil analysis. Results revealed that smart farming plots recorded higher yields with lower nutrient application. This technology can be replicated in any crop including rice.