#farm mechanised products

[aspee]

Farm Mechanized Products Manufacturer & Exporter | Aspeess

Agriculture Spray Pump Manufacturers in India

Agriculture is the backbone of India's economy, with millions of farmers relying on innovative tools and technologies to enhance productivity and yield. Among these tools, agriculture spray pumps play a pivotal role in crop protection and management. As India embraces modern farming practices, the demand for efficient and reliable spray pumps has surged, leading to the emergence of numerous manufacturers catering to this niche market. This article explores the landscape of agriculture spray pump manufacturers in India, highlighting their contributions to the sector's growth and sustainability.

Diverse Offerings:

The Indian market for agriculture spray pumps is diverse, encompassing a wide array of manufacturers ranging from small-scale enterprises to large corporations. These manufacturers offer an extensive range of products tailored to meet the diverse needs of farmers across different regions and crop varieties. From manual hand pumps suitable for small-scale farming to sophisticated motorized pumps designed for large agricultural operations, the market caters to a spectrum of requirements.

Innovative Technologies:

In recent years, agriculture spray pump manufacturers in India have been at the forefront of innovation, integrating advanced technologies to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of their products. This includes the adoption of precision spraying techniques, automated control systems, and eco-friendly formulations. By leveraging technologies such as GPS and IoT, manufacturers are enabling farmers to optimize pesticide application, minimize wastage, and mitigate environmental impact.

Quality and Durability:

Quality and durability are paramount considerations for farmers when investing in agriculture spray pumps. Recognizing this, manufacturers in India have been investing in research and development to ensure their products meet stringent quality standards. From using high-grade materials to implementing rigorous testing protocols, manufacturers strive to deliver pumps that are durable, reliable, and capable of withstanding the rigors of agricultural operations in diverse environments.

Affordability and Accessibility:

Accessibility and affordability are key factors driving the adoption of agriculture spray pumps among Indian farmers. Recognizing the need to cater to farmers across different income levels, manufacturers offer a range of products at varying price points, ensuring accessibility without compromising on quality. Moreover, initiatives such as government subsidies and financing schemes further facilitate access to these essential agricultural tools, enabling smallholder farmers to enhance productivity and livelihoods.

Commitment to Sustainability:

Sustainability has become a central focus for agriculture spray pump manufacturers in India, reflecting growing awareness of environmental concerns and the need for responsible farming practices. Manufacturers are increasingly investing in eco-friendly technologies, such as battery-powered pumps and bio-based formulations, to minimize the ecological footprint of agricultural operations. Additionally, efforts are underway to promote water conservation, reduce chemical usage, and promote integrated pest management practices among farmers.

Market Dynamics and Competition:

The market for agriculture spray pumps in India is highly competitive, characterized by a multitude of manufacturers vying for market share. Intense competition has driven innovation and product diversification, benefiting farmers with a wide range of options to choose from. Additionally, strategic collaborations and partnerships between manufacturers and agricultural organizations have facilitated market expansion and product distribution, further enhancing accessibility for farmers across remote and underserved regions.

Conclusion:

Agriculture spray pump manufacturers in India play a vital role in supporting the country's agricultural sector by providing farmers with essential tools to enhance productivity, efficiency, and sustainability. Through continuous innovation, commitment to quality, and a focus on accessibility, these manufacturers are driving positive change in Indian agriculture, empowering farmers to overcome challenges and achieve greater success in their endeavors. As India marches towards a more resilient and sustainable agricultural future, the role of agriculture spray pump manufacturers will remain indispensable in shaping the landscape of farming practices and food security in the country.

[saaagaaar]

We are online exporter of sprayers used in agriculture like battery sprayer, hand compression sprayer, portable power sprayer, tea plucking machine etc

[farmerstrend]

The Struggles of Flood-Affected Farmers in Garissa: Ibrahim Buur's Story of Survival and Hope

Ibrahim Buur, a farmer in Sankuri, Garissa County, one of the few survivors of the April-May river floods, sits under a large mango tree staring at his two-acre farmland, once thriving but now showing little activity. A once flourishing farmer, Ibrahim, is concerned over how the floods ravaged his farm, creating deep ravines and depositing heavy silt across his land. He claims he can do less to…

[anniekoh]

The Age of the Soybean: An Environmental History of Soy During the Great Acceleration

Edited by Claiton Marcio da Silva & Claudio de Majo (2022, open access!)

The soybean is far more than just a versatile crop whose derivates serve the protein needs of a meatless diet. One of the world’s most important commodities, soy represents the embodiment of mechanised industrial agriculture and is one of the main actors behind the socioeconomic, political and ecological transformations of industrial farming in several world regions. Despite the crop’s potential as a cheap source of vegetal protein for human consumers, most industrial soybean production has fuelled the global meat industrial complex, as animal feed. Soybean is thus, paradoxically, still a relatively ‘invisible’ crop to the public at large, although its global yields continue to increase at stupendous rates, lining the pockets of agribusiness and to the detriment of traditional agriculture. The transnational socio-ecological and economic entanglements characterising this versatile legume’s global expansion have prompted scholarly attention as researchers around the world have begun to unveil the main historical drivers behind the rise of the soybean in the global food chain. This book aims to expand the analysis, offering the most significant effort so far at an environmental history of soybeans. Interrogating the socioeconomic and ecological transformations determined by (and determining) the rise of soy in international food chains during the Great Acceleration, the volume gathers contributions from an international cast of researchers, working in numerous geographical contexts, from Japan and China, to India, African nations, the Southern Cone of Latin America, Northern Europe and the United States. Soybean farming, breeding, processing and marketing have bound together the histories of these diverse regions and altered beyond recognition their ecological and socio-economic contexts.

Globalizing the Soybean: Fat, Feed, and Sometimes Food, c. 1900–1950 Ines Prodöhl (2023, PDF open access)

Ines Prodöhl’s Globalizing the Soybean: Fat, Feed, and Sometimes Food, c. 1900-1950 (Routledge, 2023) is a history of how, why, and where the soybean became a critical ingredient in industry and agriculture in the first half of the twentieth century. Focusing on Japanese-dominated Manchuria, Germany, and the United States, Prodöhl shows that the soybean was a serendipitous solution to numerous and varied crises from the beginning of the century into the post-WWII decades. This story of imperialism, globalization, and technology begins in northeast China, the world’s soy cultivation center until the 1940s. It takes us to Germany, the number one importer of soybeans in the interwar period, and illuminates the various ways in which soy was integrated into the economy especially after the end of WWI as both an invaluable oilseed for industry and a source of protein-rich fodder for agriculture. Finally, Prodöhl explores how the United States first adopted the soybean mostly as a solution to overtaxed soils. Mixing economic, ecological, political, and technological/scientific history with a keen sense of the materiality of soy as a global product, Globalizing the Soybean is an accessible and enlightening book that will appeal to multiple audiences.

The Government of Beans: Regulating Life in the Age of Monocrops

Kregg Hetherington (2020)

The Government of Beans is about the rough edges of environmental regulation, where tenuous state power and blunt governmental instruments encounter ecological destruction and social injustice. At the turn of the twenty-first century, Paraguay was undergoing dramatic economic, political, and environmental change due to a boom in the global demand for soybeans. Although the country's massive new soy monocrop brought wealth, it also brought deforestation, biodiversity loss, rising inequality, and violence. Kregg Hetherington traces well-meaning attempts by bureaucrats and activists to regulate the destructive force of monocrops that resulted in the discovery that the tools of modern government are at best inadequate to deal with the complex harms of modern agriculture and at worst exacerbate them. The book simultaneously tells a local story of people, plants, and government; a regional story of the rise and fall of Latin America's new left; and a story of the Anthropocene writ large, about the long-term, paradoxical consequences of destroying ecosystems in the name of human welfare.

The Story of Soy

Christine M. Du Bois (2018)

The humble soybean is the world’s most widely grown and most traded oilseed. And though found in everything from veggie burgers to cosmetics, breakfast cereals to plastics, soy is also a poorly understood crop often viewed in extreme terms—either as a superfood or a deadly poison. In this illuminating book, Christine M. Du Bois reveals soy’s hugely significant role in human history as she traces the story of soy from its domestication in ancient Asia to the promise and peril ascribed to it in the twenty-first century. Traveling across the globe and through millennia, The Story of Soy includes a cast of fascinating characters as vast as the soy fields themselves—entities who’ve applauded, experimented with, or despised soy. From Neolithic villagers to Buddhist missionaries, European colonialists, Japanese soldiers, and Nazi strategists; from George Washington Carver to Henry Ford, Monsanto, and Greenpeace; from landless peasants to petroleum refiners, Du Bois explores soy subjects as diverse as its impact on international conflicts, its role in large-scale meat production and disaster relief, its troubling ecological impacts, and the nutritional controversies swirling around soy today. She also describes its genetic modification, the scandals and pirates involved in the international trade in soybeans, and the potential of soy as an intriguing renewable fuel. Featuring compelling historical and contemporary photographs, The Story of Soy is a potent reminder never to underestimate the importance of even the most unprepossesing sprout.

[lethimfertilise]

When I joined an international trading company in 2005, I began discovering the demands of final markets. Brazil, at that time, was already one of the largest urea consumers in the world. However, most of the imported urea was in prilled form. Those days are now gone. Today, if I’m not mistaken, around 95 percent of Brazil's urea imports consist of granular urea. The same can be said for the US, all of Europe, and many other countries.

So, why has granular urea become more widely used than prilled urea in the last 15–20 years? Primarily, this shift has occurred due to advancements in agricultural practices and the evolving needs of farmers. Granular urea offers several advantages that have driven this change, making it the preferred choice for modern farming.

Granular urea is physically larger and more uniform in size compared to prilled urea. This uniformity allows for better mechanical handling and more precise application using modern spreading equipment. The consistency in size reduces the risk of uneven application, which can lead to over-fertilisation in some areas and under-fertilisation in others. This precision is particularly important in large-scale farming operations, where efficiency and accuracy are crucial.

Granular urea tends to be more resistant to environmental factors, such as wind and moisture, compared to prilled urea. The larger, denser granules are less likely to be blown away by wind or to absorb moisture from the air, which can cause caking or dissolution before application. This stability helps ensure that the fertiliser remains effective until it reaches the soil, reducing waste and improving overall crop yield.

The physical properties of granular urea make it more compatible with other types of fertilisers in blended applications. Farmers often use blends of different nutrients tailored to specific crop needs, and the uniform size and density of granular urea allow for better mixing with other fertiliser components. This compatibility is key in precision agriculture, where specific nutrient delivery is critical for optimising crop production.

Granular urea generally has a slower release rate compared to prilled urea. This slower release helps reduce nitrogen volatilisation, where nitrogen is lost to the atmosphere as ammonia gas before it can be absorbed by the soil. This reduction in volatilisation means that more of the applied nitrogen is available for plant uptake, improving the efficiency of fertiliser use and reducing environmental impact.

As global agriculture has evolved, there has been a greater demand for fertilisers that support large-scale, intensive farming practices. Fertiliser manufacturers have responded by increasingly producing granular urea to meet this demand. Additionally, as more regions adopt mechanised farming techniques, the advantages of granular urea over prilled urea have become more apparent, further driving the shift in usage.

To summarise, as I have mentioned in my previous post, education and more sophisticated farming operations are key to these developments.

#urea #brazil #fertilisers #fertilizers #imstory #usa #europe #eu

[socialenterprise23]

Agri-Finance: Bridging the Gap for Underserved Farming Communities

In India, agriculture is the backbone of rural livelihoods, contributing significantly to the country's economy and providing employment to a vast section of the population. However, many farming communities, particularly smallholder and marginal farmers, continue to face significant barriers to financial access, which impedes their growth and productivity. Agri-finance plays a crucial role in bridging this gap, offering vulnerable farming communities the resources they need to thrive while fostering sustainable livelihoods in India.

In this blog, we will explore the importance of agri-finance for vulnerable communities, its benefits, and how it contributes to the broader goal of building sustainable livelihoods.

The Need for Agri-Finance in Vulnerable Communities

Farming in India is often characterised by fragmented landholdings, unpredictable weather patterns, and fluctuating market conditions. For small and marginal farmers, who make up a substantial portion of the agricultural workforce, these challenges are compounded by limited access to formal financial services. Traditional banking systems often perceive these farmers as high-risk, leading to a reliance on informal lending mechanisms that can result in cycles of debt and poverty.

Agri-finance for vulnerable communities addresses these challenges by providing accessible, affordable financial solutions tailored to the needs of farmers. From crop loans to insurance schemes, agri-finance ensures that underserved farming communities have the financial support necessary to invest in quality inputs, adopt modern agricultural practices, and safeguard their livelihoods from unforeseen risks.

Promoting Sustainable Livelihoods in India

The concept of sustainable livelihood in India goes beyond the idea of mere survival; it encompasses long-term resilience, security, and the ability to prosper. Agri-finance plays a pivotal role in promoting this concept by empowering farmers to improve their agricultural productivity while safeguarding natural resources. By providing financial access, agri-finance enables farmers to invest in sustainable farming practices, such as organic farming, water conservation, and agroforestry, which contribute to both environmental sustainability and long-term economic stability.

Financial inclusion through agri-finance helps farmers diversify their income streams, allowing them to invest in supplementary activities like livestock rearing, poultry, or value-added agricultural products. This diversification reduces the reliance on a single crop or income source, making farming households more resilient to economic shocks, market volatility, and climatic uncertainties.

Key Benefits of Agri-Finance for Underserved Communities

Agri-finance for vulnerable communities offers a host of benefits that not only improve agricultural productivity but also contribute to building resilient, sustainable livelihoods. These benefits include:

1. Improved Access to Quality Inputs

Agri-finance enables smallholder farmers to purchase high-quality seeds, fertilisers, and equipment, which are essential for improving crop yields. With access to credit, farmers can invest in these inputs at the right time, ensuring they have what they need to increase productivity and harvest better-quality crops.

2. Adoption of Modern Agricultural Techniques

One of the primary challenges faced by small farmers is the lack of resources to adopt modern farming techniques. Agri-finance solutions provide the necessary funding for farmers to invest in technology-driven solutions such as drip irrigation, mechanised farming equipment, and climate-smart agricultural practices. These advancements not only improve efficiency but also enhance environmental sustainability.

3. Mitigating Risk Through Insurance

Farming is a high-risk occupation, with unpredictable factors such as weather conditions, pest infestations, and fluctuating market prices affecting farmers' income. Agri-finance often includes access to crop insurance, which helps farmers mitigate these risks. By providing a safety net, insurance products ensure that vulnerable farmers are protected against potential losses, allowing them to continue farming without fear of financial ruin.

4. Access to Better Markets

Agri-finance opens up opportunities for farmers to participate in more profitable market systems, bypassing middlemen and securing better prices for their produce. Financial resources enable farmers to invest in transport, storage, and marketing infrastructure, ensuring they can access markets that were previously out of reach. This, in turn, leads to higher incomes and improved livelihoods.

5. Encouraging Entrepreneurship in Agriculture

Financial inclusion fosters a sense of entrepreneurship among farming communities. With access to finance, farmers can expand their operations, explore new agricultural ventures, or move into agro-processing, which adds value to raw agricultural products. This entrepreneurial spirit contributes to job creation in rural areas, supporting sustainable livelihood in India by improving the socio-economic conditions of farming households.

Challenges in Scaling Agri-Finance

Despite the clear benefits of agri-finance, there remain challenges in scaling these solutions to reach all vulnerable farming communities in India. One major hurdle is the lack of financial literacy among smallholder farmers. Many farmers are unfamiliar with the formal financial system and may lack the knowledge required to navigate loan applications, insurance policies, and repayment terms.

Additionally, the geographical dispersion of rural communities poses logistical challenges for traditional financial institutions. Digital financial services have begun to address this issue, with mobile banking and fintech solutions offering more accessible and user-friendly platforms. However, more needs to be done to ensure that digital solutions are available in remote areas and that farmers are educated on their use.

The Role of Policy and Partnerships

Government policies and public-private partnerships play a critical role in enhancing the reach and impact of agri-finance. Initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and Kisan Credit Card (KCC) have made strides in increasing financial access for smallholder farmers. However, there is still room for improvement in policy implementation, particularly in ensuring that marginalised groups are not left behind.

Collaboration between governments, financial institutions, non-governmental organisations, and private sector entities is essential for creating an enabling environment for agri-finance. These partnerships can help develop innovative financial products, improve financial literacy, and expand outreach to underserved farming communities.

Agri-finance is an essential tool in bridging the gap between underserved farming communities and financial inclusion. By offering tailored financial solutions, agri-finance empowers vulnerable communities to improve their productivity, adopt sustainable practices, and build resilient livelihoods. As India strives towards a future of sustainable agricultural growth, ensuring that all farmers have access to the financial resources they need will be key to achieving this goal.

Agri-finance for vulnerable communities has the potential to create a lasting impact on rural development, promoting both economic security and environmental sustainability. The road ahead may be challenging, but with the right support, agri-finance can transform the lives of millions of farmers across the country, paving the way for a more prosperous and sustainable future.

[boombayway]

Sustainable farming to build better food systems

Indian soils have been used for growing crops over thousands of years without caring much for replenishing. This has led to depletion and exhaustion of soils resulting in their low productivity. The average yields of almost all the crops are among the lowest in the world, In spite of the large-scale mechanisation of agriculture in some parts of the country.

Understanding the problem.

I feel before we try to understand the basics of sustainable farming, it's important to understand the larger crisis. Nutrition continues to be the main challenge in India. We have a very high prevalence of undernourishment and micronutrient deficiency, for which it is placed at the bottom and second from the bottom globally, respectively. The health and vitality of the soil in which crops are grown are integral to food production; poor soil means poor crop yields. Climate change represents a serious threat. Temperature changes have affected how and where things grew, disrupted the water cycle, shifted rain patterns and evaporation, and caused more storms and severe droughts.

[fickdichistwarum]

It's also a naïve approach because it assumes that everywhere is the midwestern US, where moniculture maize production is practical. But shockingly, the world is bigger than Ohio (that's one of the corn places right? The US has too many states. I can never remember them) and therefore different environments are going to be suited to different forms of food production. Australia has a few big farming regions, most prominently the Murray-Darling basin and the wheat belt, but most of the continent really isn't suited to plant agriculture. It is able to support grazing livestock, which can be moved around properties the size of small European countries to where the rain actually is. Agroforestry is of limited practicality even in many of the agricultural areas because the drought-flood cycle is too unpredictable to plan far enough ahead. Planting orchards is a big risk, because if it doesn't rain for years on end you might lose all your trees before they ever produced a crop. Annual crops like wheat and many vegetables are a safer bet, because you only need to forecast rain a few months in advance, and the most you'll lose is one year's work. Still hard though, and lots of farmers go broke.

More labour intensive methods are also impractical, given that most farmers here already struggle to get their harvests in with the available labour - and can't (or won't) pay enough to attract more, because then they'd have to raise their prices and most are locked into ruinously low price contracts with the big two supermarkets - and the relatively shallow and poor soil, and overall drier climate, means that fewer plants can be supported in any one place. There's a reason bush looks so much sparser than North American forests*.

Our soil is also very poor in some minerals, most notably iodine, which is a bad thing to be deficient in. Consequently, our salt and flour gets fortified artificially with it.

Labour is actually a super important factor though, now I'm thinking a bit more on it. I'm not sure it's actually possible to produce enough food to support our technological civilisation, with all of it's highly specialised roles and socioconomic niches, without mechanised agriculture. Perhaps newer, better harvesting machines will make complex multilayered agricultural systems more viable at the scale required to feed 8 billion+ people, but we're not there just yet. Doesn't mean we shouldn't work towardals it where possible and practicable. Just that we can't do it all by tomorrow, or even next Thursday.

*that, and also that bush usually means eucalypt forests, which are dominated by various eucalypts that seep their poisonous oil into the soil through their roots to kill off competitors and have evolved to burn at a moment's notice to incinerate competitors. Straya.

So I'm absolutely not an expert on the subject, and this post is just a bunch of thoughts I've been turning over in my head a lot, but: on the subject of Industrial Agriculture, the Earth's carrying capacity, and agroforestry

Writings from people who propose policy changes to secure the future of Earth treat energy use by organisms in (what seems to me like) the most infuriatingly presumptive, simplistic terms and I don't know why or what's wrong or what I'm missing here.

Humans have to use some share of the solar energy that reaches Earth to continue existing.

The first problem is when writers appear to assume that our current use of solar energy via the agricultural system (we grow plants that turns the light into food.) already is maximally efficient.

The second problem is when writers see land as having one "use" that excludes all other uses, including by other organisms.

The way i see it, the thing is, we learned how to farm from natural environments. Plant communities and farms are doing the same thing, capturing energy from the Sun and creating biomass, right? The idea of farming is to make it so that as much as possible of that biomass is stuff that can be human food.

So instead of examining the most efficient crops or even the most efficient agricultural systems, I think we need to examine the most efficient natural ecosystems and how they do it.

What I'm saying is...in agricultural systems where a sunbeam can hit bare dirt instead of a leaf, that's inefficiency. In agricultural systems where the nutrients in dead plant matter are eroded away instead of building the soil, that's inefficiency. Industrial agriculture is hemorrhaging inefficiency. And it's not only that, it's that industrial agriculture causes topsoil to become degraded, which is basically gaining today's productivity by taking out a loan from the future.

I first started thinking about this with lawns: a big problem with monocultures is ultimately that they occupy a single niche.

In the wild, plant communities form layers of plants that occupy different niches in space. So in a forest you have your canopy, your understory, your forest floor with herbaceous plants, and you have mosses and epiphytes, and basically if any sunbeams aren't soaked up by the big guys in the canopy, they're likely to land on SOME leaf or other.

Monocultures like lawns are so damn hard to sustain because they're like a restaurant with one guy in it and 20 empty tables, and every table is loaded with delicious food. And right outside the restaurant is a whole crowd of hungry people.

Once the restaurant is at capacity and every table is full, people will stop coming in because there's no room. But as long as there's lots of room and lots of food, people will pour in!

So a sunny lawn has lots of food (sunlight) and lots of room (the soil and the air above the soil can fit a whole forest's worth of plant material). So nature is just bombing that space with aggressive weeds non-stop trying to fill those niches.

A monoculture corn field has a lot of the same problems. It could theoretically fit more plants, if those plants slotted into a niche that the corn didn't. Native Americans clear across the North American continent had the Three Sisters as part of their agricultural strategy—you've got corn, beans, and squash, and the squash fits the "understory" niche, and the corn provides a vertical support for the beans.

We dump so many herbicides on our monocultures. That's a symptom of inefficient use of the Sun, really. If the energy is going to plants we can't eat instead of plants we can, that's a major inefficiency.

But killing the weeds doesn't fully close up that inefficiency. It improves it, but ultimately, it's not like 100% of the energy the weeds would be using gets turned into food instead. It's just a hole, because the monoculture can't fulfill identical niches to the weeds.

The solution—the simple, brilliant solution that, to me, is starting to appear common throughout human agricultural history—is to eat the weeds too.

Dandelions are a common, aggressive weed. They're also an edible food crop.

In the USA, various species of Amaranth are our worst agricultural weeds. They were also the staple food crop that fed empires in Mesoamerica.

Purslane? Edible. Crabgrass? Edible.

A while back I noticed a correlation in the types of plants that don't form mycorrhizal associations. Pokeweed, purslane, amaranth—WEEDS. This makes perfect sense, because weeds are disaster species that pop up in disturbed soil, and disturbed soil isn't going to have much of a mycorrhizal network.

But, you know what else is non-mycorrhizal? Brassicas—ie the plant that humans bred into like 12 different vegetables including broccoli and brussels sprouts.

My hypothesis is that these guys were part of a Weed Recruitment Event wherein a common agricultural weed got domesticated into a secondary food crop. I bet the same thing happened with Amaranth. I bet—and this is my crazy theory here—I bet a lot of plants were domesticated not so much based on their use as food, but based on their willingness to grow in the agricultural fields that were being used for other crops.

So, Agroforestry.

Agroforestry has the potential for efficiency because it's closer to a more efficient and "complete" plant community.

People keep telling me, "Food forests are nowhere near as efficient as industrial agriculture, only industrial agriculture can feed the world!" and like. Sure, if you look at a forest, take stock of what things in it can be eaten, and tally up the calories as compared to a corn field (though the amount of edible stuff in a forest is way higher than you think).

But I think it's stupid to act like a Roundup-soaked corn field in Kansas amounts to the pinnacle of possible achievement in terms of agricultural productivity. It's a monoculture, it's hard to maintain and wasteful and leaves a lot of niches empty, and it's destroying the topsoil upon which we will depend for life in the future.

I think it's stupid to act like we can guess at what the most efficient possible food-producing system is. The people that came before us didn't spend thousands of years bioengineering near-inedible plants into staple food crops via just waiting for mutations to show up so that we, possessing actual ability to alter genes in a targeted way, could invent some kind of bullshit number for the carrying capacity of Earth based on the productive capability of a monoculture corn field

Like, do you ever think about how insane domestication is? it's like if Shakespeare's plays were written by generation after generation of people who gave a bunch of monkeys typewriters and spent every day of their lives combing through the output for something worth keeping.

"How do we feed the human race" is a PAINFULLY solvable problem. The real issue is greed, politics, and capitalism...

...lucky for us, plants don't know what those things are.

[hypeeconomy]

Mechanising the fields: The role of robotics in propelling development in agriculture

An extensive study of the sequence of incidents that happened in the recent past which had AI as the subject under scrutiny signalled one thing in unison, and that is that AI is essentially bad. Not because it was programmed to be a villain, but because humans manoeuvred it in such a way that it has involved itself more with mis-deeds than good. However, its character arc is not linear because the 2023 edition of the ‘AI for Good’ Global Summit that took place this July proved that AI is a domain with many faces, especially when it comes down to the use of AI in the field of agriculture. 

This global summit provided a platform for over 30 cutting-edge robots to exhibit their range of skills which served as a testament for the potential of autonomous robots to spearhead progress towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal. Amidst the participants were robots that could be used in agriculture who displayed the importance of using high-technology in the field of agriculture. What it also showcased is how agriculture serves as a breeding ground for new technological developments and also as a key area of application of technologies that were developed somewhere else.

Robots and agriculture, a collaboration that we didn’t know we needed

The utilisation of AI in the agriculture market is expected to grow from US$ 1.7 billion in 2023 to US$4.7 billion by 2028. Despite this initiative being in its embryonic stage, these numbers do not come as a surprise especially because in a world where the demand for food is steadily increasing, agriculture is turning to innovative solutions, primarily robots, to optimise farming operations. The advanced machines that come into play are becoming the new workforce in agriculture and they have the ability to perform different tasks such as planting, irrigation, pest control, and soil analysis. Automating the field of agriculture can reap benefits such as higher productivity, lower labour expenses, and reduced reliance on harmful chemicals. 

Farmers far and wide have already begun to embrace technology, including drones and remote-controlled grass and scrub cutting machines to improve productivity and minimise downtime and monitor their livestock with efficiency. For instance, in hilly regions, these robotic machines are particularly valuable as they can access and cultivate land that was previously unusable. Additionally, electric farm and factory robots with interchangeable tools are being developed, allowing for precise soil management minus the negative impacts of heavy tractors compacting wet soil. Soft robotic grasping technologies and sensors are helping out in the production of delicate crops giving farmers and consumers both something to look forward to. Moreover, soft robotics employs gentle methods like rubber cups or small bean bags to delicately grasp and harvest high-value produce like peaches and raspberries from plants without causing any  form of damage. Thus, preserving the quality of such delicate crops. 

Robots that are used in agri-tech are as cool as ones you see in ‘The Transformers’

Optimus Prime may be a master in hand-to-hand combat and a prodigy in parkour, but RoboBees (which can take-off vertically, hover and steer) could very well outdo it in terms of efficiency. Sarah Murray writing for The Financial Times about ‘Farm Robots Poised For Growth as Labour Costs Rise’ explains how RoboBees; developed by researchers at Harvard’s Wyss Institute, one of the most recent initiatives and is still in its nascent state, has the potential of eventually performing tasks such as crop pollination and environmental monitoring.

Currently, RoboBees are confined to laboratory settings, and their widespread commercial use in agriculture is still a distant prospect. These laboratory settings are spaces such as polytunnels and glasshouses where there is an absence of rain and mud. However, the ongoing progress in technology, coupled with challenges related to labour shortages, is making robots increasingly economically feasible for farm applications. This suggests that as technology continues to advance and labour availability remains a concern, the adoption of robots in agriculture may become a more realistic and practical solution in the near future. Furthermore, the fact that most of these robots are tailor-made and are often streamlined to function on a more plant-by-plant approach makes them even more attractive. For instance, ‘FarmWise’, a company based in California, has created a weeding robot that prioritises computer vision and artificial intelligence. This innovative robot can differentiate between weeds and crops, resulting in reduced labour expenses for farmers and allowing them to reduce their herbicide usage. 

Another innovation that was exhibited at the ‘AI for Good’ Global Summit is ‘Digital Farm Hand’: a robotic platform specifically designed for smallholder farms, created by University of Sydney’s Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR). This robot is programmed in a way that it could detect and identify objects within its environment, including plants and weeds. Owing to a capability of that scale, it can perform various tasks such as field mapping and gathering data on crop health and yield. But the feature which triumphs amidst all the ones it possesses is its capacity to transform the farming industry. By automating the process of recognising and removing weeds, this robot has the potential to decrease the dependence on harmful chemicals by farmers. This leads to cost savings and contributes to a safer and healthier environment for all parties who are shareholders in agriculture. 

But do these robots live up to their brand image?

The potential that robots have cannot be denied. However it is worth highlighting that whether or not this potential will be discovered is up to the economic and political choices that the agricultural industry makes. For instance, a concern that is associated with the widespread adoption of agricultural robots is, when the costs of applying pesticides are diminished due to automation, it might lead to increased pesticide usage rather than a reduction, which could have adverse environmental and health implications. In addition, the use of more potent and hazardous pesticides might become more prevalent without human oversight. If heavier robots replace human workers, this could exacerbate existing issues related to soil compaction caused by the use of heavy machinery in farming, potentially harming the quality of the soil. The concerns don’t end there. The standardisation of food items to accommodate robotic automation may create a consumer expectation for perfectly uniform produce. This expectation could result in increased food wastage as fewer items meet these stringent criteria for sale, even if they are perfectly safe and nutritious to consume.

Apart from that, a major issue that has many small farm owners worried is that most efficient and high quality robots that are manufactured are available at extremely high costs. This will automatically gate keep them from gaining access to machinery that can actually make a change. This scenario can change if smaller, more advanced and affordable mobile robots become available for smaller farms. However, currently, most manufacturers of farm equipment are mainly focused on automating their large and more expensive products. This means that larger agricultural producers are the ones who will have a competitive advantage, as they can harness the cost savings and productivity benefits of robots. It is vital that the decisions that are made with regards to integrating robotics into agriculture are done wisely and done in a way that has everyone’s best interest at heart. The minute that it is politicised, it will stray away from the path that leads to achieving the goal of using robotics for SDGs. It will eventually become an antithesis to what experts recognise as measures used to ensure food security and combat climate change. 

[zealousflowerturtle]

Rental System of Farm Tractors in India: A Boon for Farmers

In India, agriculture forms the backbone of the economy, and the significance of farm machinery, especially tractors, cannot be overstated. However, due to various constraints, every farmer cannot afford to buy farm tractors outright.

This is where the rental system of farm tractors comes into play, offering a lifeline to countless farmers across the country.

Affordability: One of the primary reasons why the rental system of farm tractors is popular among Indian farmers is its affordability. Buying a brand-new tractor can be a substantial financial burden for small and marginal farmers. Renting allows them to access modern farm machinery without the hefty upfront investment.

Flexibility: The rental system offers flexibility, allowing farmers to hire tractors as per their specific needs and requirements, thereby optimising their resources and reducing costs.

Accessibility: In many rural areas of India, access to capital and credit facilities is limited. The rental system bridges the gap - and this accessibility ensures that no farmer is left behind due to financial constraints, offering a viable alternative to those unable to afford the upfront investment required to buy farm tractors.

Reduced Maintenance Costs: By opting for the rental system, farmers can mitigate maintenance expenses since the responsibility for upkeep often lies with the rental service provider.

Risk Mitigation: In case of unforeseen circumstances or changes in farming practices, farmers can adjust their tractor requirements accordingly without being burdened by ownership.

Quality Assurance: Reputable rental service providers often offer well-maintained and modern tractors, ensuring that farmers have access to reliable machinery.

The rental system of farm tractors in India plays a crucial role in bolstering the agricultural sector by granting cost-effective access to modern machinery. This empowerment enables farmers to embrace mechanised farming techniques, ultimately boosting productivity and livelihoods. However, if you're looking for a low-cost way to buy farm tractors, TAFE, through its prestigious Massey Ferguson brand, is committed to assisting Indian farmers by offering a diverse range of tractors that cater to their specific requirements. If you want to buy a Massey Ferguson tractor, the prices are competitive and reasonable. You can visit their website for more information.

[aspee]

We are online exporter of sprayers used in agriculture like battery sprayer, hand compression sprayer, portable power sprayer, tea plucking machine etc.

[indiafund]

Harvesting Change: Embracing Mechanisation for Sustainable Agriculture

Welcome to a new era of agriculture, where innovation meets sustainability to shape the future of farming. Join us in “Harvesting Change” as we explore the transformative power of CSR advancing sustainable agricultural practices.

About the Initiative:

“Harvesting Change” is a groundbreaking initiative aimed at promoting the adoption of mechanisation in agriculture to enhance productivity, efficiency, and environmental sustainability. By embracing modern technologies and machinery, farmers can overcome traditional challenges, improve crop yields, and reduce their environmental footprint.

The Need for Change:

Corporate Social Responsibility Traditional farming methods, while effective in the past, are no longer sufficient to meet the demands of a growing population and a changing climate. Rising labor costs, shrinking land availability, and unpredictable weather patterns necessitate a shift towards more efficient and sustainable farming practices.

Embracing Mechanisation:

Mechanisation offers a wide range of benefits for farmers and the environment. From precision planting and harvesting to automated irrigation and pest control, modern machinery streamlines farm operations, minimises resource wastage, and optimises crop production.

Key Benefits:

Increased Efficiency: Animal Welfare Mechanisation reduces manual labor requirements and enables farmers to accomplish tasks more quickly and efficiently, allowing them to focus on strategic decision-making and business growth.

Improved Yield and Quality: Wildlife sos By leveraging advanced technologies such as GPS-guided tractors and robotic harvesters, farmers can achieve higher crop yields and maintain consistent quality standards, leading to increased profitability and market competitiveness.

Resource Conservation: Mechanisation promotes sustainable use of resources by optimising inputs such as water, fertilisers, and pesticides. Precise application methods reduce wastage and minimise environmental impact, contributing to long-term ecological sustainability.

Building a Sustainable Future:

“Harvesting Change” is more than just a technological advancement — it’s a paradigm shift towards a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable agricultural system. By embracing mechanisation, farmers can cultivate healthier crops, enhance soil health, and preserve natural resources for future generations.

Join the Movement:

Are you ready to be a part of the agricultural revolution? Join us in “Harvesting Change” and be a catalyst for positive transformation in the farming industry. Together, we can cultivate a brighter future for agriculture and nourish communities around the world.

Get Involved:

Farmers: Explore the latest mechanisation solutions tailored to your specific needs and requirements. Discover how modern technologies can enhance your farming practices and improve your bottom line.

Industry Stakeholders: Partner with us to drive innovation, research, and development in agricultural mechanisation. Together, we can unlock new opportunities and overcome challenges to create a more sustainable food system.

Consumers: Support sustainable farming practices by choosing products that are produced using mechanised techniques. Your purchasing decisions can make a difference in promoting a more environmentally friendly and socially responsible agriculture industry.

[bdb-india]

BDB is Consumer Goods Market Research Company in India

BDB India Private Limited is a leading global business strategy consulting and market research company in India. Since 1989, BDB has been providing clients with solutions to expand their businesses in the Indian and international marketplace. We are an ISO certified company. BDB is Consumer Goods Market Research Company in India

Farm Mechanization

Agri – Economy

According to the 2023 GDP rankings, the Indian economy is ranked sixth among the world’s top economies. The majority of people in the nation rely on agriculture as their primary source of income. A major pillar of the Indian economy, the agriculture industry employs 60% of the labour force and generates 17% of the country’s GDP.

An agro-economy, like that of India, is heavily reliant on the cycle of production, distribution, and consumption. roductivity is another issue with the agro-economy. Indian farmers currently produce only 2.4 tonnes of rice per hectare of land, which is a far cry from their true potential. China and Brazil, on the other hand, produce 4.7 and 3.6 tonnes of rice per acre, respectively.

Since more than half of the population of India is engaged in agriculture, two significant elements underscore the role that agriculture plays in the economy. First off, it gives rural agricultural and non-agricultural labour job prospects. Second, it is important for operations like import and export trading on a global scale. India supports 17.8% of the world’s people and 15% of the world’s cattle with only 4% of the world’s water resources and 2.4% of the world’s land.

About 55% of India’s population relies on agriculture as their main source of income.

It has the largest area planted to wheat, rice, and cotton.

It is the second-largest producer of wheat, rice, cotton, sugar, farmed fish, fruit, vegetables, tea, and farmed vegetables.

India has the second-largest agricultural land area in the world

The increasing income levels in rural and urban areas have boosted the demand for agricultural products across the country.

West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab produced 36% of the total rice produced in India in the year 2022.

In 2022, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab produced 64% of all the wheat that is produced in India .

Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka produced almost 38% of all the corn in India.

Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab produced almost 39% of the entire amount of food grains produced in India.

The Government of India had requested that the United Nations declare 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYoM-2023) in order to increase domestic and international demand and to supply nutrient-rich food to the population.

Mechanization of Indian Agriculture

Agriculture mechanisation is a crucial component of modern agriculture. Along with lowering labour costs and human toil, it increases productivity. Mechanisation also enhances the safety and comfort of farmers, the efficiency with which other inputs are used, and the quality and added value of the produce. Aside from allowing farmers to grow a second crop or many crops, efficient machinery increases output and productivity, transforming subsistence agriculture in India into a profitable industry.

In order to promote an expedited but inclusive expansion of agricultural mechanisation in India, the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has incorporated the elements of agricultural mechanisation under several plans and projects. The following targeted actions will put small and marginal farmers at the forefront with a focus on “reaching the unreached.” The following components make up the “Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation” scheme, which was created with this objective in mind by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare’s Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Mechanisation and Technology Division.

Training, testing, and demonstration to promote and strengthen agricultural mechanization

Post Harvest Technology and Management (PHTM) demonstration, instruction, and distribution

Assistance for the Purchasing of Agriculture Equipment and Machinery

Create Farm Machinery Banks for Personalised Hiring

Create an Equipment Hub for Custom Hiring that is High-Tech

Farm mechanisation promotion in a few villages

Financial Support for the Promotion of Hectare-Level Mechanised Operations through Custom Hiring Centres Promotion of Farm Equipment and Machinery in the Northeast Region

Agritech Boosting Indian Agriculture

The number of agri-tech start-ups in India expanded from less than 50 in 2013 to more than 1,000 by 2022, thanks to growing farmer knowledge, better internet access in rural areas, and the demand for increased efficiency in the agricultural industry. Agtech in India is still growing, with innovations coming from both start-ups or “agrifintechs,” and major technology firms. Core enterprises in the value chain are embracing digital technologies like “super apps” to innovate.

Existing agricultural incumbents employ digital technologies to reach farmers directly or to spread their products and services to nearby areas.

Technology is being used by suppliers of agrochemicals, fertilisers, and seeds to build direct-to-farmer sales channels that cut out middlemen and retailers.

Technology is being used by businesses, including banks and nonbanks, that are primarily involved in lending money through farm and rural loans to better understand the farmer, offer tailored products, and lower loan risks.

Farmers are now getting mechanization services from companies that offer farm equipment.

Organisations that deal with the purchasing, processing, or selling of agricultural goods have begun to integrate back into the supply chain and provide connections to the market for the farmer.

The agtech ecosystem has the potential to raise Indian farmers’ profits by 25 to 35 percent and contribute $95 billion to the nation’s GDP through lower input costs, higher productivity and price realisation, more affordable loans, and other income sources.

View more…https://bdbipl.com/

[smart2mia]

The Rise of Smart Agriculture Automation Systems

Agriculture is often referred to as the backbone of civilisation and economic growth. Humans' relationship with agriculture dates back centuries as the people want the best to eat. Though the core value of agriculture remains evolving all the time, the methods of agriculture may differ according to the impact of technology. From 1890, mechanisation in agriculture began to happen as the increase in food demands. In 1950 marked the Green Revolution and now we live in the era of precision agriculture. Smart farming and automation in agriculture support precision agriculture effectively. Read to know the rise of smart agriculture as the seeds of change and how it thoroughly helps you in farming. 

Agriculture Automation

Agricultural automation involves using various technological advancements to improve and automate agricultural businesses. It blends smart farming with existing agricultural practices and provides smart agricultural solutions.  Traditional farming requires hard effort for every process, so replacing that with an automated system for smart agriculture extensively simplifies agricultural farming routines. With the world’s population predicted to reach 10 billion people, smart agriculture and farming are the best technologies to adopt to feed the world’s population. 

Why  Agriculture Automation is a Buzz?

The challenges faced in agriculture should be addressed immediately to smoothly run the agricultural business. There are reasons why hundreds of agricultural owners invest in smart agricultural solutions, know them to take your agricultural business to the peak.

Economic Benefits 

Agriculture contributes greatly to the overall economy of the nation by generating income and supporting related fields. The export opportunities open the door to international trade and economic benefits. 50% of the cost in agriculture threads to the growing farms, automation can reduce costs and embrace economic benefits.

Consumers’ Preferences 

In recent days, people have slowly recovered from their junk food addiction and there is a swift change towards organic foods. Automated agriculture helps to reach consumer demands faster with sustainability. Automation increases productivity, yields, and reduces costs. 

Labour Efficiency 

Agriculture is a labour-intensive occupation, according to the study over 55% of farmers say labour shortages impact the work. Automated system for smart agriculture automates tasks and reduce labour intervention and costs in the agriculture industry. 

Reduced carbon footprints 

Automation in agriculture and smart farming not only makes agriculture a profitable business but also makes farming sustainable. Smart farming techniques Farmers can reduce environmental footprints, by employing eco-friendly and productive agriculture. 

Challenges in Smart Agriculture 

Data security- Data privacy and security threats.

High-end costs- Smart Agriculture can be expensive depending on the demands.

Interoperability- Lack of standardisation targets the compatibility of different farming devices.

Technological issues- Adoption of new technology can be a barrier for farmers.

Future of Smart Agriculture 

Automated farming uses technology to automate tasks, once done by human beings. AI is the new tech trend in smart agriculture that optimises crop management with devices. It enables precision agriculture, automates tasks like irrigation, and pest control, predicts crop yields, and enhances decision-making. AI in smart farming improves efficiency, reduces resource usage, and promotes sustainable and high-yielding farming practices. 

In conclusion, the rise of smart agriculture automation marks a reformative era in farming, addressing challenges and enhancing economic, environmental, and consumer aspects. Despite challenges like data security and high costs, the future of smart agriculture appears promising with AI-driven precision farming. Embracing automation not only boosts efficiency and reduces labour dependence but also ensures a Smart agriculture is the future. 

[sayani78544544]

Simplifying agriculture: Niyo Farmtech’s tech-driven approach to agricultural efficiency

Yogesh Gawande, who founded Aurangabad-based Niyo Farmtech in 2021, is a participant in the Cisco and Social Alpha scale-up accelerator, Krishi Mangal. In fact, the programme also aims to help agritech startups expand their operations and find new markets as they develop solutions for smallholder farmers.

Mechanised solutions for smallholder farmers It's one of the most neglected areas of farming, but it's also one of the most fundamental. Meet Niyo Farmtech. Yogesh's team has developed new methods to help farmers with everything from land preparation and sowing to input management and harvesting. Apart from cutting down on manual labour, the solutions are ergonomic for all, be they women or men, and are efficient in terms of both operational costs and the time of the farmers. From the start, Niyo Farmtech has sold thousands of machines in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh.

Kisan App Agriculture in India, though, is a means of sustenance for 151 million people, or 60 percent of the population, but it only accounts for 18 percent of the country's gross domestic product. In terms of farm operating costs, as farms shrink and the availability of manpower diminishes, farm mechanisation is required to handle the cost of operations while maintaining farm productivity. Sprayers are an integral part of agriculture and have been used to spray pesticides and herbicides. Today, they are used to spray nanourea as well. The farmers 'current practice in spraying is to use knapsack sprayers. But this device also has its own problems. But a manual sprayer is ineffective for covering an area, it takes time, and it is not safe. This is because harmful chemicals are placed next to the user. Further, the wear and tear on the body due to the weight of the device when worn about the user's back and the continual pumping necessary for spraying lead in turn to problems such as back pain. This emphasis is especially hard on women farmers, who must carry this burden through the long day in the fields.

Kisan App Cisco has never doubted that technology can transform the nation's prevailing problems into its biggest global opportunities. Thus, for this journey, Cisco and Social Alpha subscribed to the same dream of giving a voice to startups that can tackle each of these problems one step at a time, such as Niyo Farmtech, that have the potential to disrupt inefficiency. Mahesh Pisal, a 36-year-old farmer from Khatav block in Chorade village, Satara, is talking about the problems he faced using a traditional knapsack sprayer. Besides, inhaling the chemicals sprayed on the plants caused Just as Niyo Farmtech founder Yogesh saw his family members growing up and learning from the act of farming. These kinds of problems he resolved by making simple innovations in farm mechanisation and technology and redefining traditional farm practices

[hardynwa]

Nigeria can achieve food sufficiency - former LSHA Member Idimogu

Jude Idimogu a former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, has said that he believes Nigeria has what it takes to achieve food sufficiency. Having previously represented Oshodi/Isolo Constituency, IdimoguII, said that by the government and other stakeholders taking decisive steps towards agricultural development,, hunger, food insecurity, and unemployment would drastically reduce. Speaking while addressing reporters in Lagos., he called for a reform in the programmes of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) through the involvement of corps members in agricultural production. “Agriculture is central to the country’s sustainable development. The sector is critical for generating employment in rural areas, supporting the economy in farming communities and ensuring food security. The sector has an essential role to play in improving Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Idimogu said. The former lawmaker noted that the NYSC is a multidimensional investment in Nigeria’s socio-economic and cultural landscape, adding that that its benefits permeate personal development, education, health, social integration and national unity. “Those who evolved the scheme were mindful of enabling Nigerian youths to acquire the spirit of self-reliance by encouraging them to develop skills for self-employment. "The scheme has also evolved to contribute to the accelerated growth of the national economy, develop common ties among the Nigerian youths, and promote national unity and integration, Idimogu said. On how to maximise the latency of members of the NYSC for rewarding national development, the former lawmaker stressed that Nigeria wa 911s blessed with arable lands. “As the NYSC scheme is a yearly affair, the country should develop a new policy that would make it mandatory for every state to deploy any youth corps member to each of the three senatorial zones." “As they are posted to these areas, they should work on the farms, using mechanised farming to produce bounty agricultural produce for the benefit of the people. Except those in medical, teaching and other specialised fields, all should embrace agriculture. The states should develop agricultural clusters for different kinds of agricultural value chains. “They should be provided with farms and accommodation, like hostels, and make the environment conducive for farming. Within that one year, they will engage in mechanical farming, and while they are passing out, another group is coming to continue from where the previous set stopped. Some of them might decide to make it their way of life and profession. This way, food will be abundant all year round. “If this is considered, in the next 10 years, Nigeria will begin to export food. However, we may have the challenge of preservation. That’s where the government comes in,” Idimogu added. Read the full article