Use of ICT in Agriculture
Meaning of ICT in Agriculture
- Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in agriculture refers to the use of digital tools, communication technologies, and information systems to collect, process, store, and disseminate agricultural information for improving farm productivity, decision-making, extension services, marketing, and rural development.
- In simple words, ICT helps in delivering the right agricultural information to the right farmer at the right time.
Major Uses of ICT in Agriculture
- 1. Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services
- Provides online expert advisory services on crops, pests, and diseases
- Delivers mobile-based advisories through SMS, voice calls, and mobile apps
- Enables digital dissemination of improved agricultural practices
- Supports virtual training, webinars, and e-learning for farmers and extension workers
- Reduces dependency on physical extension visits
- Ensures timely and wider outreach of agricultural information
- 2. Crop Production and Management
- Provides digital crop calendars and recommended packages of practices
- Assists in pest and disease identification using mobile applications
- Offers fertilizer and pesticide application advisories
- Enables monitoring of crop growth and stress conditions
- Promotes scientific crop management
- Leads to higher productivity and efficient resource use
- 3. Weather Forecasting and Climate Services
- Supplies real-time weather forecasts and alerts
- Provides early warning systems for droughts, floods, cyclones, and pest outbreaks
- Supports climate-based advisories for sowing, irrigation, and harvesting
- Helps in reducing climate-related risks
- Minimizes crop losses due to extreme weather events
- Precision Farming
- Uses sensors, GPS, and digital maps for site-specific crop and field management
- Enables precise application of water, fertilizers, and agrochemicals
- Supports automated irrigation systems based on soil moisture and weather data
- Facilitates nutrient management systems for balanced fertilizer use
- Reduces input wastage and environmental pollution
- Improves resource use efficiency, productivity, and sustainability
- Soil and Natural Resource Management
- Maintains digital soil health records and soil testing reports
- Uses GIS-based soil and land-use mapping for scientific planning
- Supports monitoring of water resources such as groundwater and irrigation systems
- Helps in detecting land degradation, soil erosion, and nutrient depletion
- Promotes sustainable use and conservation of natural resources
- Agricultural Marketing and Price Information
- Provides online access to daily market prices of agricultural commodities
- Enables e-Trading platforms for direct buying and selling of farm produce
- Supports market demand forecasting and price trend analysis
- Reduces dependence on middlemen and intermediaries
- Improves price transparency and farmer bargaining power
- Ensures better price realization and increased farmer income
- Farm Management and Record Keeping
- Maintains digital farm records of crops grown, inputs used, and outputs obtained
- Supports financial planning, budgeting, and cost–benefit analysis
- Enables traceability of farm produce from field to market
- Helps in monitoring farm performance and productivity
- Improves farm planning, profitability, and accountability
- e-Governance and Government Services
- Facilitates online registration of farmers
- Enables digital delivery of subsidies, schemes, and benefits
- Supports crop insurance enrollment and claim processing
- Reduces delays, paperwork, and corruption
- Ensures transparent, efficient, and accountable service delivery
- Enhances farmer trust in government systems
- Knowledge Sharing and Networking
- Provides access to online agricultural portals and digital databases
- Uses social media platforms for farmer-to-farmer and expert interaction
- Encourages knowledge exchange among researchers, extension workers, and farmers
- Promotes awareness of new technologies and best practices
- Encourages innovation, learning, and collaborative problem-solving
