VTU collaborates with irrigation systems company to promote digital farming in Belagavi district

Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) and Jain Irrigation Systems Limited (JISL) have collaborated to promote Digital Farming, that is advanced agricultural technologies to uplift the rural community, in Belagavi recently. These include research, development, training and extension activities.

Speaking this to the reporters here on Friday, Karisidappa, Vice Chancellor, VTU said that as a part of digital farming main components, live demo has been set up with regards to water-saving technologies such as drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation systems. He said that Jain Logic is an integrated automation solution created to fulfill precise agriculture and irrigation management requirements.

Karisidappa said that rice is the main grain that is in demand in India and South Asian countries. He informed that a hectare of rice in conventional puddle cultivation uses 1,30,00,000-1,60,00,000 liters per season. But in practice, farmers use much more volumes (up to 2,00,00,000 liter/hectare) in many delta areas in India, he added.

Karisidappa said that the future of rice production which consumes a lion's share of water (85 %) used in irrigated agriculture will, therefore, depend heavily on developing and adopting technologies and practices which will use less water with highest use efficiency. He said that drip irrigation proved to be a water efficient technology which uses only 80,00,000 - 1,00,00,000 liters per hectare thus saving water up to 50 per cent.

Since Belagavi district farmers cultivation rice, VTU-Jain shoulders to train the farmer to adopt drip irrigation for more crop per drop and with aim of doubling the income of farmers, said Karisidappa. He said that in this regard, under VTU- Jain collaboration, demo plot of rice with drip irrigation is being carried out.

As a part of the collaboration, farmers and rural youths are being trained for advanced agriculture technologies and employment generation activities so that youths can be self-employed, concluded Kariappa.