Technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud computing, Satellite tracking and advanced analytics are not only limited to a miracle for manufacturing facilities, investors or researchers. Microsoft has opened new doors for farmers to witness the technological miracles and to support the most basic necessity of human, which is food.
This is the era of digital agriculture where farmers across Karnataka and AP waits for a text message to get informed when to sow their groundnut crops for higher crop yield and good price control. If you think language is the barrier, then the SMS is delivered to their native languages. Not only limited to text messages, the farmers of Maharashtra, Telangana, MP are receiving automated voice calls to prevent their cotton crops from getting infected by pest attacks, based on weather conditions and crop stage.
AI-based sowing advisories lead to 30% higher yields
Considering the importance of sowing date, Microsoft and the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) came together to develop an AI Sowing App powered by Microsoft Cortana Intelligence Suite, includes Machine Learning and Power BI. The main advantage of this app is, it does not require the installation of sensors in fields, it only requires a phone capable of receiving text messages. The app sends a text message of sowing advisories to participating farmers on the optimal date to sow. The advisories include optimal sowing date, soil test based fertilizer application, farmyard manure application, seed treatment, optimum sowing depth and more.
Pest attack predictions
The Pest Risk Prediction App developed by Microsoft in collaboration with United Phosphorous (UPL) has taken AI one step ahead in agricultural. This app in advance alert farmers about the risk of pest attack which seriously damages the crops and hence has major impact on crop yield. This helps farmers to plan the preventive measures in advance.
Price Forecasting
Predictive Analysis is not only limited to fields but also the cost. The prize of commodity is predicted three months in advance for major markets in the state. Cost of commodity influence the overall economy, Microsoft had developed a multivariate agricultural commodity price forecasting model. The model observes the every stage of farming for proper prediction with help of remote sensing data from geostationary satellite images. This model will predict the future commodity and its prizes.
