Startup entrepreneurs demonstrate an autonomous precision spraying drone for targeted pesticide application during the Krishi Mela at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad – TOI
Dharwad : From AI-driven crop advisories and precision-spraying drones to automated irrigation and hydroponic fodder systems, technology is taking centre stage at the four-day Krishi Mela at University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Dharwad. A dedicated smart farming demonstration zone and Startup Pavilion are showcasing agricultural technologies developed by startups incubated by KRISHIK-Agribusiness Incubator (KRISHIK-ABI). The initiative aims to expose farmers, students and entrepreneurs to affordable technologies designed to improve productivity, reduce input costs and promote climate-resilient agriculture.
Alongside the demonstrations, KRISHIK-ABI has established a Startup Pavilion at stalls 308 to 312. KRISHIK-ABI has completed 13 incubation cohorts and supported 167 startups, including 32 women-led and eight student ventures. It has recommended Rs 16.7 crore in grants under various govt programmes. The incubated startups have collectively generated more than Rs 158 crore in revenue, benefited over 11 lakh farmers, created more than 1,500 employment opportunities and filed 40 patents, according to UAS.
Stay updated with the latest Hubballi news. The demonstration zone features an IoT-based borewell water-management system to optimise irrigation and groundwater use, an IoT-enabled sprout weeder and real-time agro-advisory services for grape cultivation. Other attractions include an autonomous precision-spraying drone for targeted pesticide application, a solar-powered three-row chickpea nipping machine, and a battery-operated, mobile-controlled automatic valve for irrigation management. Farmers can also explore Fyllo-Kheti Ka AI, an AI-based farm advisory platform; a hydroponic fodder-growing chamber; a space- and AI-powered crop-monitoring and advisory platform; and a mobile app for testing seed-germination quality. Startups are displaying innovations in farm mechanisation, waste-to-wealth and green energy, food technology and value addition, agricultural inputs and biotechnology, and precision agriculture. The pavilion brings together ventures supported under the Union govt’s RKVY-Innovation and Agri-entrepreneurship Programme, giving farmers an opportunity to interact directly with founders and understand technologies that could be adopted on their farms. UAS has invited Krishi Mela visitors to explore the demonstration zone and pavilion to understand how artificial intelligence, automation and sustainable technologies are finding their way into agriculture. Download the TOI App.