Question : Adoption of Drone Technology

(a) whether the adoption of drone technology is theneed of the hour and will benefit farmers across thecountry and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government has released StandardOperating Procedure (SOP) for the use of Drone inPesticide Application for Crop Protection and for sprayingsoil and crop nutrients and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government is of the view that theuse of drones in agriculture may also give ampleopportunities to provide employment to people in ruralareas;
(d) the other steps being taken by the Government regarding application of new technologies in agriculturesector in the country;
(e) whether precision farming reduces cost ofproduction in agriculture and the Government ispromoting use of kisan drones for boosting precisionfarming and if so, the details thereof; and
(f) whether the Government has made any provisionto provide grant to Farmers Producers Organizations(FPOs) for drones and kisan drones that would be usedto carry vegetables, fruits, fish to the market directlyfrom farms and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
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(a) to (f): The deployment of technology in agriculture including the precision farming technologies is very important to provide long-term solutions for improving the agriculture sector’s productivity and efficiency and therefore, theGovernment of India supports and facilitates the State Governments through various Centrally Sponsored and Central Sector Schemes to promote agriculture throughout the country and infusing new technologies including agricultural dronesinto the agriculture sector.



Looking into the unique advantages of Drone technologies in agriculture, the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has released the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for use of drones in pesticide and nutrient application.

In order to make drone technology affordable to the farmers and other stakeholders of this sector, financial assistance @ 100 % cost of drone together with the contingent expenditure is extended under Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) to the Farm Machinery Training & Testing Institutes, Institutions of Indian Council of Agricultural Research, KrishiVigyan Kendra (KVK) and State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) for its demonstration on the farmer’s fields. Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs) are provided grants @ 75% for purchase of drones for its demonstration on the farmers’ fields. In order to provide agricultural services through drone application, financial assistance @ 40% of the basic cost of drone and its attachments or Rs.4 lakhs, whichever less is also provided for drone purchase by existing and new Custom Hiring Centers (CHCs) under Cooperative Society of Farmers, Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs)?and Rural entrepreneurs. The agriculture graduates establishing CHCs are eligible to receive financial assistance @ 50% of the cost of drone up to a maximum Rs.5.00 lakhs.Through these initiatives, it has been envisaged that the use of drones in agriculture will provide ample opportunities to provide employment to people in rural areas.

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