Let's leap frog to Agriculture 4.0...Can't we?

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Continuing my previous blog FASCINATION AND TRAP OF AI, ML, BLOCKCHAIN, this lure is not limited to management only. Industry, as well, such as Agriculture has seen much pompous joy towards these technologies and talking "Agriculture 4.0" day in and out. More and more entrepreneurs are creating startups, impressions and scaling up horizontally across globes and then vanishing serially without making a scratch on surface. Industry has a prestigious name for this post as well "Serial Entrepreneur".



Because the problem statement here is not to create "Painkillers" but to use new-age technologies and possibly make some "Vitamins" as by-products. 


Case in point: One of the Indian Company used Image processing, AI and ML to predict possible pest attack. When I asked what is the efficacy, the ground staff said it's accuracy is 50-50. Well my coin can do a better job than this because it costs not more than 1 Rs!

How and when of Industry Revolution:

Revolution Problem Technology
RevolutionIndustry Revolution 1.0 ProblemHow to do more work with less man power TechnologyMechanical instruments powered by Muscle power/ Hydro power marked by spinning machines
RevolutionIndustry Revolution 2.0 ProblemHow to produce more with operational efficiency TechnologyElectricity, Combustion system and Assembly lines
RevolutionIndustry Revolution 3.0 ProblemHow to disseminate information faster so that Man/Woman can take decision and execute TechnologyElectronic circuits, I/internet
RevolutionIndustry Revolution 4.0 ProblemHow to remove human intervention through intelligent decision making TechnologyIoT, AI/ML, Aerial technology


Above table shows how industry revolution happened one after another. If a parallel is drawn for Agriculture Industry (specifically the Agri input), it will be like this

Revolution Problem Technology Agri-Input Parallel
RevolutionIndustry Revolution 1.0 ProblemHow to do more work with less man power TechnologyMechanical instruments powered by Muscle power/ Hydro power marked by spinning machines Agri-Input ParallelTraditional cultivation using bullocks
RevolutionIndustry Revolution 2.0 ProblemHow to produce more with operational efficiency TechnologyElectricity, Combustion system and Assembly lines Agri-Input ParallelProduce more by using fertilizers, crop protection, mechanization
RevolutionIndustry Revolution 3.0 ProblemHow to disseminate information faster so that Man/Woman can take decision and execute TechnologyElectronic circuits, I/internet Agri-Input ParallelUse of information as agri input as how, when and what to use during life cycle of crop
RevolutionIndustry Revolution 4.0 ProblemHow to remove human intervention through intelligent decision making TechnologyIoT, AI/ML, Aerial technology Agri-Input ParallelRemove human intervention by “Smart Farming” - predicting/ identifying stress, automate irrigation etc


The problem here is that India never saw Agriculture 3.0. Indian companies, till today, focused on pushing products through distribution network and so there was no need to create repository of knowledge, information on internet or work on pull strategy. The dilemma is now we are selling Agriculture 4.0 to a farmer not accustomed with internet, information search and with tiny land holding of avg 2 acre. And please note, these costs are not normal by any means (as of now). 

But there is a silver lining: this furor of Agriculture 4.0 along with COVID will bring in Agriculture 3.0 sooner.  

Location: Gurugram, Haryana, India

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