Coromandel Int'l delivers 200 drones to women SHGs to modernise farming

Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually hand over 1,000 drones, including 200 drones supplied by Coromandel International, to the members of various SHGs

Agri-solutions provider Coromandel International has announced the delivery of 200 drones to women from Self Help Groups (SHGs), aimed at modernising agricultural practices. The initiative is part of the Central Government’s mission to bolster the country’s agricultural sector through the ‘Namo Drone Didi’ scheme.
 

In an event organised by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers across 11 locations in the country, including Manikyammaguda in the Ranga Reddy district and Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually handed over 1,000 drones, including 200 drones supplied by Coromandel International, to the members of various SHGs.

The drones supplied by Coromandel will be used by the women SHGs in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka. The company has also trained the local women pilots to operate the drones. The aerial vehicles were manufactured by the company’s subsidiary, Dhaksha Unmanned Systems, a leading drone manufacturer in the country.

The drones offer a wide range of advanced solutions designed to meet the diverse needs of farmers. They come equipped with built-in safety measures such as anti-collision sensors and the RTL (Return to Launch) feature for safe landings. These drones also come with high-quality nozzles capable of covering up to 30 acres of spraying per day.

The ‘Namo Drone Didi’ scheme is aimed at empowering rural women by training them to be drone pilots and making them stakeholders in the local farming supply chains. As part of the scheme, the government aims to help 15,000 women-led SHGs with agricultural drones for crop monitoring, and spraying crop protection chemicals and fertilisers.

Commenting on the initiative, Arun Alagappan, executive vice-chairman, Coromandel International said, “In addition to supplying drones, comprehensive training and technical support will be provided to the farmers to ensure they harness the full potential of the technology. Supporting the government’s vision, Coromandel aims to strengthen agricultural infrastructure and contribute to the prosperity of farmers by advancing agricultural innovation to Indian farms.”