Syngenta, IoTech partner to use drones in agriculture, hire rural youth

Syngenta, IoTech partner to use drones in agriculture, hire rural youth

Syngenta India Pvt. Ltd. (SIPL) has partnered with IoTechWorld Avigation to bring drone spraying to the agricultural sector across the country.

Both parties agreed to work together to create job opportunities for rural youngsters by training and preparing them to use drones on farmlands.

The firms have agreed on a three-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote the spraying of Syngenta-approved insecticides in various Indian territories using IoTechWorld’s drone technology.

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‘In the initial phase, 200 rural kids will be trained and hired to spray. ‘Over 400 acres of large-scale trials were completed, and data for 20 crops was submitted to authorities,’ stated Susheel Kumar, MD and Country Head, Syngenta India.

The first to receive the Centre’s approval

Agribot, an IoTech drone, will be used across all of Syngenta’s spray services and products. Syngenta and IoTech will work together to get 200 agri-entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs from villages in India to take part in this project.

Syngenta is the first private business to receive authorization from the Central Insecticides Board and the government to spray its product Amistar on paddy to protect it from fungal infections like blast and sheath blight.

Syngenta organized a one-of-a-kind Drone Yatra last year, traveling 17,000 kilometers across 13 states and reaching out to 15,000 farmers with drone spraying demonstrations, according to Sachin Kamra, Head, Farmer Centric Ecosystem, Syngenta India Pvt Ltd.

‘Along with Syngenta, we want to help farmers get the most out of plant protection chemicals, reduce expenses, and increase yield. “We also want to help create jobs in rural areas by establishing agri-entrepreneurs,’ said Deepak Bhardwaj, Director of IoTechWorld Avigation.

IoTech will teach people how to fly drones and help those who want to get a pilot’s license. It will also help Syngenta manage its drone fleet and promote its spray service, he said.

Promotion in educational establishments

Syngenta Foundation India will find and train prospective Agri entrepreneurs. Rajendra Jog, the Country Director for Syngenta Foundation India, says that this will help give people more ways to make money.

Also Read | Syngenta and Jai Kisan bank sign a deal to give small farmers affordable loans

Syngenta will also work closely with IoTech to support the deployment of at least 2,000 drones through the micro- and village-level agri-entrepreneur program and to promote drone spray technology in all educational and promotional activities.

Syngenta collaborates closely with Syngenta Foundation India (SFI) to train Agri entrepreneurs that serve farmers with a variety of Agri and allied services. The National Institute of Agriculture Marketing identifies, trains, and certifies village youth to develop enterprises that boost smallholder farmer incomes and efficiency while lowering their carbon footprint through better and cheaper inputs, access to markets, loans, and insurance.