In an appeal to agricultural graduates, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Thursday urged them to revolutionize agriculture without looking for jobs. In the distant presence of Governor and Chancellor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, the 39th Graduation Ceremony of the Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Agricultural University took place at Dapoli in Ratnagiri district. India has become self-sufficient in the production of food grains, dairy products, and fish products, he said, as well as being an exporter. In the agricultural sector, natural agriculture, patents, and geographical designations are opening new avenues of prosperity for farmers, said Governor Koshyari. He suggested that the students might learn a lot from farmers in India who have traditional knowledge of agriculture.
There were 2,087 graduates, including graduates, diplomas, post-graduates, and Acharyas. The students who had achieved special excellence at this time received gold medals
KEY TRENDS EXPECTED……..
- Changes in demand due to income growth, globalization, and health consciousness have already affected and will continue to affect production in the future. In the future, there will be a greater demand for fruits and vegetables, dairy products, fish, and meat.
- Researchers, technology improvements, and protected cultivation of high-value greens and other vegetables will be more important. Quality, affordable processed products will become increasingly popular.
- In the future, there will be more competition among private companies that offer innovative products, better seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, agricultural machinery, animal feed, and other products in cost-effective ways at competitive prices that give the farmer higher returns on investment. It will be crucial to use biotechnology and breeding to create more nutritious and tastier crop varieties that are environmentally friendly and disease resistant.
- So The use of certain technologies will increase in future decades, and some will gain commonplace within a short period while others will require some time to mature. In order to produce the same products in a different way to use resources more efficiently and utilize new resources such as hydroponics, plastics, and bioplastics. Urban farming and vertical farming will become more popular, and there will also be an effort to find new areas for production, like barren deserts and seawater.
- Precision farming with soil testing as the basis for decisions, and automation through artificial intelligence will be geared towards delivering precise inputs to agriculture. Precision, quality, and the environment will be achieved with sensors and drones that are cost-effective.
- These technologies will also be used by small and marginal farmers with the assistance of private players, government or farmer producer organizations (FPO). By combining GPS technology, drones, robots, and smartphones, farmers can have an easy and engaging life with good results. Agriculture will be more profitable, easier and environmentally friendly using these advanced devices.
- In the near future, nanotechnology will be used for enhancing food quality and safety, as well as efficient input usage. By using nanomaterials in agriculture, we will reduce the use of chemicals, reduce nutrient losses in fertilisation, and manage pests and nutrients so that crops will yield more. IFFCO has already conducted successful tests on nano-fertilizers.
- It has become much easier for Indian companies to access the global market due to remarkable improvements in digital connectivity. According to projections, the number of internet users will reach 666,4 million in 2025. Mobile devices will enable farmers to interact with different stakeholders more effectively and be more aware of their surroundings. Using digital technology for raising awareness among farmers, sharing information, and sending money directly to farmers is a major plan for using digital technology by the government.
- The government, village communities, Agri startups, and private players will all need to do more to conserve sharply dwindling water reserves. A revolution in this direction could be brought about by digital technology. Satellites, IoT, and drones will be utilized for better soil, crop, and yield data collection, which will reduce insurers’ costs with better estimates, and make the system significantly more efficient and effective.
- There will be more niche marketing for operations, geographic areas, and crop-specific small equipment, so even small farms will be able to operate more efficiently.
- A reduction in food waste and increased use of waste materials in agriculture will result in less food waste. In the private sector, the number of warehouses will increase, and the links between private and public warehouses will increase. Supply and demand will be balanced, and prices of agri-outputs will be stabilized.
- The retail sector in agriculture will largely be digitalized. The study estimates that 90 percent of kirana stores across the country will be digitalized by 2025, with modern traceable logistics and transparent supply chains. Several players are already bringing kiranastores closer to consumers, such as Amazon and Jio Mart