e-Crop Based Farming: In the world of agriculture, a groundbreaking innovation is changing the way farmers cultivate their crops. Enter the e-Crop Based Smart Farming (e-CBSF), a remarkable Internet of Things (IoT) device designed to offer real-time agro-advisory services tailored to specific crops. Developed by Dr. Santhosh Mithra, Principal Scientist at the ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, this technology aims to maximize crop yields while considering weather and soil conditions.
Unlike traditional farming methods, the e-CBSF takes a smarter approach by accurately determining the optimal levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and water required for various crops. This information is then communicated to a smart fertigation system, which mixes these essential nutrients with water and applies them precisely to the crops. This precise application minimizes wastage and ensures that plants receive exactly what they need to thrive.
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One of the most remarkable aspects of the e-Crop technology is its adaptability to adverse climatic conditions and limited resources. This means that even in challenging environments, farmers can still achieve impressive productivity levels. The system has already been successfully applied to a range of crops including cassava, sweet potato, elephant foot yam, and banana. In fact, it has managed to shrink the yield gap from a staggering 50% in traditional farming to a mere 5%.
The simplicity of using the e-CBSF is another feather in its cap. Farmers receive fertigation requirements through text messages, which are then decoded by the smart system. The necessary nutrients are dispensed from containers and mixed with water in a blending chamber. This nutrient-rich mixture is then efficiently applied to the crops through methods like drip sprinklers. What’s more, this entire process can be managed remotely through mobile devices, giving farmers unprecedented control over their fields from anywhere in the world.
The success of the e-Crop Based Smart Farming technology opens up exciting possibilities for the future. By integrating suitable crop models, this approach could be extended to a variety of other field crops, potentially revolutionizing agriculture on a global scale. As we look ahead, it’s clear that e-CBSF has the potential to empower farmers, increase yields, and contribute to a more sustainable and efficient farming ecosystem.
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