Hi-Tech Agriculture
Hi-Tech Agriculture or Hi-Tech Farming or Hi-Tech crop farming is the farming operations dealing with the cultivation of agriculturally important crops by using advanced farming technologies. These are much more advanced technologies than our conventional agricultural practices.
In conventional farming, the farmers use good quality seeds, fertilizers, and different agrochemicals to cultivate the crop. While in Hi-Tech Agriculture, farmers rely on different advanced technologies like greenhouse cultivation, cultivation under protected structures, hydroponics, aeroponics, aquaponics, vertical farming technologies, precision farming, GIS/GPS/DGPS based farming systems, climate suitable farming, etc., to encourage better plant growth, thus obtaining good productivity.
It is now widely employed for the profitable commercial production of horticultural products. Hi-tech horticultural practices include Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Integrated Nutrient Management (INM), Plasticulture, Greenhouse Cultivation or Protected Cultivation, Hydroponics, Micro irrigation or Drip irrigation, Fertigation, Subsurface Drainage systems; Precision Farming; High-Density Planting; Hi-Tech Mechanization; Molecular Diagnostics etc.
Prospects of Hi-Tech Agriculture:
The importance of Hi-Tech Agriculture/ Hi-Tech Farming is enlisted below
1. Early forecasting of weather data can save the crop.
2. Greater yield can be obtained.
3. Use of lesser manpower: As recently we are facing a shortage of agricultural labour, hence advanced technology can reduce the requirement of labourers without affecting agricultural practices.
4. Significant savings in water, nutrient, fertilizers, and pesticides can be achieved.
5. Hi-tech farming can be done on uneven, undulating or degraded land also, with suitable measures.
Major Drawbacks in Hi-Tech farming:
1. Budget intensive: The preliminary installation or input costs are huge. Though in long run the farmer can get more profit compared to conventional farming.
2. Implementation of such advanced technology needs prior know-how to become profitable.
Potential areas for Hi-tech agriculture:
The potential sites for going for Hi-Tech Agriculture are enlisted below-
1. Urban and peri-urban areas to meet requirements of fresh produce like vegetables, fruits and flowers round the year.
2. Areas with limited land and water resources.
3. Areas where availability of land for cultivation is restricted because of snowfall and where low temperature is prevalent, restricting the cultivation of crops under open field conditions.
4. Small and marginal land holdings for adopting intensive production technologies.
5. As an agri-business enterprise for enterprising youth in rural and urban peripherals.
Hi-Tech Agriculture is gaining popularity now-a-days due to climate change, shortage of agricultural lands, land degradation, infective agrochemicals, and pressure of insects, pests, and diseases hampering conventional agriculture.
"The Hi-Tech Agriculture is the Future of Global Agriculture"
