Mumbai, August 22: In a significant move towards integrating modern technology in agriculture, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed the agriculture department to implement a pilot project based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Twin Learning across the state.
The initiative aims to enhance crop yields by utilizing advanced tools such as satellite technology, drones, IoT sensors, and data analytics. Initially, 10,000 farmers will be selected for trials.
This decision was made during a presentation on the AI and Digital Twin Learning project. The primary crops targeted in this phase include cotton, soybean, pigeon pea, sugarcane, orange, turmeric, onion, and maize.
Speaking at the meeting, CM Fadnavis noted that the Agricultural Development Trust in Baramati initiated this project to address challenges like climate change, water scarcity, declining soil fertility, and rising production costs.
He emphasized the creation of a unified digital system by collecting data from various sources related to crop growth, water requirements, soil moisture, weather conditions, and pest attacks.
The Chief Minister stated that by analyzing this data through machine learning, the state could provide tailored advice to each farmer regarding their crops, thereby reducing input costs and increasing overall agricultural income.
Agriculture Minister Dattatraya Bharne highlighted that AI-based farming is a priority for the state government, expressing confidence that this project will bring revolutionary changes to Maharashtra’s agricultural sector.
Pratap Pawar, Chairman of the Sakal Media Group, praised the state government’s support and stressed the need for robust backing to implement such impactful development initiatives on a large scale.
Nilesh Nalawade, CEO of the Agricultural Development Trust, presented the results of the pilot project. Initial trials in sugarcane farming showed promising outcomes, with average yields increasing from 65.45 tons per acre to 73.12 tons per acre, marking an increase of 17.66 tons per acre.
He noted, “AI-based irrigation management has resulted in an average water saving of 42%, conserving approximately 90,000 liters of water per hectare daily. Analyzing drone-captured images through AI allows for early detection of crop diseases, and essential information regarding irrigation and spraying can be directly sent to farmers’ mobile phones.”
According to a government statement, over 10,000 farmers have reported positive results from the initial trials. The state government plans to evaluate the model’s performance based on region and crop before implementing it statewide.
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