Use smart technologies to boost farm output: Official

Use of smart technologies like IoT, drones and digital devices would boost farm production, with higher yields and better quality for more remuneration to farmers, said a top official on Wednesday.

"Smart technologies like Internet of Things (IoT), drones and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are impacting the farm sector, increasing production and quality for higher price realisation to farmers," said Karnataka Agriculture Department Secretary Maheshwar Rao at a tech summit here.

Stressing on the greater use of emerging technologies in farming, Rao said as 50 per cent of the population was dependent on agriculture, which contributes 10 per cent to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the need to bridge the gap was imperative by increasing production and quality.

"As an R&D hub, with an ecosystem built at huge capital, Karnataka farmers are at an advantage to reap a rich harvest by integrating smart technologies with their agri-machinery," reiterated Rao at the "Technology in Agriculture" summit, organised by the state agriculture and IT departments.

Participating in the day-long event, state IT-BT (biotech) department Principal Secretary Gaurav Gupta said there was a huge potential for innovation in using smart technology in the agriculture sector for quantum growth.

State IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge said innovations in technology should benefit all sections of society for the well-being of all the people.

"Technology should go from the lab to the field to benefit from the fruits of innovation," said Kharge on the occasion./Eom/240 words.

--IANS

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