How Ai-driven Irrigation can make agriculture truly smart

Artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to play a key role in the growth of Indian agriculture relieving the sector from stressful conditions and catalysing a shift towards data-driven farming. Leveraging macro as well as farm-level data collected through sensors will help maximize yields and optimise the use of available resources. AI engines are able to process and analyse data feeds from satellite, plane or drone imagery. Machine learning, and in particular, deep-learning algorithms, can help in the interpretation of data from images and identify patterns that spotlight irrigation issues. Smart irrigation technologies will become a way forward for modern farmers and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO) for better and smart water management.

In India, the monsoon, which is a major source of freshwater, impacts agricultural activity and productivity. In recent years, the novel approach in water harvesting has improved water budget management for increasing demand for freshwater. Agricultural Automation, concentrating more on efficient irrigation, can be achieved by making use of the latest technologies like Artificial Intelligence

(AI) and Machine Learning (ML). AI contributes to improving farming efficiencies in the areas such as finding irrigation leaks, optimising irrigation systems and measuring how effective frequent crop irrigation improves yield rates. Automatic irrigation is a vital topic for the evapotranspiration process and crop prediction. Evapotranspiration process is the process of water management and the hydrologic cycle to develop a sustainable irrigation method.

Farmers can create an optimal irrigation schedule for their crops which will optimise yield and quality while keeping costs in check. Evapotranspiration has been a key metric to create an irrigation system that is tailored to the needs of a plant. It represents the sum of evaporation from the land surface plus transpiration from plants. Modern satellite imagery and weather predictions help farmers improve the assessment of evapotranspiration.

AI engines are able to process and analyse

data feeds from satellite, plane or drone imagery. Machine learning, and in particular deep-learning algorithms, can help in the interpretation of data from images and identify patterns that spotlight irrigation issues. If imagery is combined with soil and plant-based sensors, data can provide an extremely accurate read of the irrigation needs in real-time as well as alert the farmers about potential issues.

According to the latest report by Nasscomernst & Young titled ‘Leveraging AI to maximise India’s agriculture output’, AI is expected to play a key role in the growth of Indian agriculture relieving the sector from stressful conditions and catalysing a shift towards data-driven farming. Leveraging macro as well as farm-level data collected through sensors will help maximize yields and optimise the use of available resources.

Use of real-time data

Conserwater Technologies, a company headquartered in California, USA, and Mobitech Wireless Solution, a leader in Irrigation Automation Company in Perundurai, Erode district in Tamil Nadu, have partnered to help bring AI and IOT to agriculture irrigation.

With the help of Conserwater, an AI tool that enables farmers to grow healthier crops with fewer resources in a cost-effective and scalable manner. Conserwater uses satellites, weather, topography and other real-time data to help farmers accurately determine the inputs they need for their farm, without any expensive soil sensor systems. Using Conserwater, farmers in India have the potential to save as much as 50 per cent on their irrigation water use, while still growing healthy plants.

Together, Mobitech Wireless Solution and Conserwater Technologies have created new controller systems that are fully automated.

The new ‘smart’ Ai-powered Automated Drip Irrigation controllers can use the Conserwater AI to calculate irrigation needs, and can automatically irrigate the required amount of water and turn off automatically, without requiring any additional work from the farmer. This integrated system not only enables the farmer to be efficient in his irrigation, but also significantly saves time and effort. In many parts of rural India, supply of electricity is irregular. In such a situation, these controllers can automatically turn on when electricity is available, and can use water efficiently before shutting it off.

Weather-cum-soil Sensor Stations

Recent advancements in technology have generated numerous paths for data gathering and interpretation. Machine learning algorithms applied on these data have proven to have potential in analysing these large amounts of data almost in real-time. Therefore, AI is playing a critical role in decision support systems for most of the applications. In the near future, it is expected to take over most of the decision-making applications on mobile phones, empowering farmers and end-users. Technology companies should focus on gathering quality data with standardised instruments. Nashik-bassed Sensartics Pvt Ltd aims to collect qualitative data on a large scale, which will help maximum stakeholders by improving water management practices.

Sensartics in association with Sahyadri Farms, Nashik aims to develop cost-effective and quality Weather cum Soil Canopy Sensor stations. These stations are helping farmers improve the annual water budget and gaining higher crop yield. Furthermore, when long term data will be gathered over a farm scale, that will considerably help for long term planning based on changing trends of climate towards soil health and crop selection.

Speaking about weather stations, Parag Narvekar, Executive Director, Sensartics Pvt

Ltd, Mohadi, Nashik said, “Sensartics has three products - Scalar Station, Tracer Station and Master Station. Scalar Station helps in irrigation scheduling and monitoring. Tracer station helps in monitoring the amount of precipitation water (Rain) received in addition to Scalar benefits. This helps in better soil health management and crop insurance cover. Master Stations has primarily accurate weather sensors imported from the USA keeping track of weather parameters over a village-scale (e.g. 5 km x 5 km areas) helping crop processes associated with changes in weather.”

Narvekar also added that unpredicted events such as the COVID pandemic and extreme weather/climate events such as floods and droughts affect natural resources available for domestic and agricultural needs. The use of technology for data capturing is the only way

forward for better water resource management.

Use of remote sensing system

In recent years Netafim, the global leader of precision irrigation solutions and agricultural projects, launched its Alphadisc filter. The filter will protect irrigation systems against clogging caused by organic contaminants, and enable growers to more uniformly irrigate crops, leading to better productivity, cost savings and peace of mind. Researched and developed in partnership over the last five years with Amiad, a leading global producer of water treatment and filtration solutions, Alphadisc provides the ultimate in irrigation system protection with its combination of precise depth filtration, substantial capacity to contain dirt and a unique easy-to-scale modular design that helps to manage changing flow rates and water quality needs. All this is monitored by a first of its kind remote sensing system and algorithms that provide farmers with online data and insights. Up to 70 per cent of water used for agriculture is surface water from reservoirs, lakes, canals, and ponds, containing considerable amounts of algae and other organic contaminants that significantly increase the risk of clogging.

With water quality constantly deteriorating due to climate change, pollution, and the growing usage of reclaimed water, growers have an increasing need for effective filtration to prevent full and partial clogging and to protect their irrigation systems for sustainable long-term performance. An effective filtration system gives growers an added edge to help them improve growing conditions, reduce the risk of clogging and increase crop yield. With the help of smart irrigation tools powered by AI and ML, including remote sensors and Canopy Sensor Stations, farmers can manage irrigation systems from remote locations. Sensor-based automated irrigation systems make 'unmanned' farms a viable solution.

Smart irrigation technologies will become a way forward for modern farmers and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO), ensuring better water management. In addition to this, pandemic situations like COVID-19 have increased the penetration of technology in remote rural areas of India which will lead to more implementation of smart irrigation systems among small scale and marginal farmers.

“Sensartics has three products - Scalar Station,

Tracer Station and Master Station. Scalar Station helps in irrigation scheduling and monitoring. Tracer station helps in monitoring the amount of precipitation water (Rain) received in addition to Scalar benefits. This helps in better soil health management and crop insurance cover. Master Stations has primarily accurate weather sensors imported from the USA keeping track of weather parameters over a village-scale (e.g. 5 km x 5 km areas) helping crop processes associated with changes in weather.” Parag Narvekar, Executive Director, Sensartics Pvt Ltd, Mohadi, Nashik