Precision agriculture
Also called: Precision farming · Topic: Primary Activities: Gathering, Pastoralism, Agriculture and Mining · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Precision agriculture, also called precision farming, uses modern tools to give each part of a field exactly what it needs. These tools include GPS (satellite positioning), soil sensors, drones and satellite images. They show which patches are dry, weak or full of pests. The farmer then puts water, seed, fertiliser and pesticide only where and when they are needed. This cuts waste and cost, raises yields and reduces chemical damage to soil and water.
Example
India is moving towards precision farming through several schemes. Kisan drones spray fertiliser and pesticide on crops. Soil health cards tell each farmer which nutrients their soil lacks. The Digital Agriculture Mission (2024) builds digital records of farms and crops (verify current).
Don't confuse with
- Intensive subsistence agriculture: also gets high output from each hectare, but it does so with family labour and hand work rather than sensors and data.