Can high-tech firms with actionable inputs eliminate uncertainties in agriculture?

Sangarmesh Talikotti has been a farmer for 20 years and is well aware of the unpredictable factors that can affect his livelihood each season. The 40-year-old also knows that he has to use a mix of the traditional knowledge acquired over the years and modern methods to minimise the risks he faces every season. So when he heard about deploying internet of things (IoT) technology in farming, Talikotti did not hesitate. In March, he spentRs 38,000 to plant three sensors on his 2.5-acre tomato farm.

The artificial intelligence-driven platform from Benguluru-based agri-tech startup Fasal regularly relays information to Talikotti’s smartphone. He gets updates on when to irrigate the field, when to reap the crops, what is the risk of pest attack and where to use pesticides. Talikotti is so impressed with the system that he now intends to install sensors across his 60-acre farm where he grows papayas, brinjals and drumsticks. He is especially happy that his fate is not entirely based on the variables anymore, all thanks to Fasal.