Drone technology to spray pesticides on crops introduced in Jammu and Kashmir

Srinagar: Under the 'One Village One Drone' initiative, Jammu and Kashmir has started using drones for agricultural purposes. Sher-e-Kashmir university of agriculture and Science organised a first-ever agriculture drone demonstration event at Kulgam in South Kashmir, during which drones were used to spray pesticides on fruit trees. The latest technology created by the University of Agriculture and Science is going to give a big boost to the horticulture sector of the valley. With the help of this drone spray of pesticides, the farmer can save time, labour, and pesticides, and above all, there will be a bumper crop in the end because scientists say that by spraying in this way, the pesticides will reach the trees completely and the crop will grow more. 

Agricultural experts also suggest farmers to use agricultural drones so that their production will be bigger and environmental pollution can be reduced. They believe that by adopting latest technology youths will also get attracted towards agriculture.

Professor Nazir Ahmed (University of Agriculture and Science) said “This drone technology will now be used in agriculture; these are spray drones. Because Kashmir is having big horticulture crop, horticulture is spread over about 1.6 lakh hectares and about 20 lakh tones of fruits are produced here, for which a lot of pesticides are used. The drone technology will mechanize the entire process resulting in the requirement of less labour and less wastage of pesticides. It will also bring glamor to the agriculture sector, this is happening for the first time in UT.” 

“The capacity of this drone is 10 litters and it will spray pesticides on one acre in half an hour, whereas 250 litres of pesticides are used on this much land in the normal method of spraying, which means a lot of pesticides will be saved and the environment will also be less affected," 
Ahmed added.

Farmers have also appreciated this initiative of the government and said it's a good technical step in the right direction. They say that the economy of Kashmir depends on the agriculture sector and progress in this sector means that the economic condition of Kashmir will also get strengthened.

Khurshid Ahmed Yatu (Farmer) said that this is a very good scheme, "the spraying of medicine by drone will save time and the strategy will also be good.  It is good for farmers, especially Fruit farmers. Agriculture department should make maximum use of it.”

The officials stressed the Krishi Kendra for easy access to the latest technology for the farmers.  In Jammu and Kashmir, the government is diversifying the crops so that the agriculture sector gets a boost and agro-based employment-generating activities are also encouraged. Due to this, the government can be successful in overcoming of unemployment problem in UT.