AI in Agriculture Shines at Smart India Hackathon
Innovators at Smart India Hackathon 2024 leverage Artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance farming with crop health tools and supply chain solutions
By : Rachel Dammala
Update: 2024-12-12 12:23 GMT
Hyderabad: Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) solutions for agriculture emerged as a key focus at the Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2024, with innovators coming up with fresh perspectives to aid farming.
Teams at the grand finale, hosted at Vardhaman College of Engineering in Shamshabad, are tackling real-world challenges with technology-driven solutions.
Team Visionaries United from BMS Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, showcased their Keisha Arogya prototype, a mobile and web-based platform designed to enhance crop health and management.“Farmers, especially small-scale ones, often see profits in only three out of ten years due to pest infestations and uncertain yields,” explained team leader Devanshi Sharma.
She highlighted that the platform uses AI and ML to identify potential diseases, analyse crop conditions, and offer customised management solutions, including fertiliser recommendations tailored to both organic and inorganic farming.
Sharma further added, “Earlier tools often lacked user-friendliness, which discouraged adoption among small-scale farmers. We wanted to change that by making the app accessible, multilingual, and equipped with voice guidance for those who are not literate.
”The team has implemented features in 13 Indian languages and is planning to introduce advanced tools like voice navigation and read-aloud capabilities. These features aim to simplify the app’s usage for farmers in rural areas, ensuring technology reaches even the most underserved communities.
She highlighted that the platform uses AI and ML to identify potential diseases, analyse crop conditions, and offer customised management solutions, including fertiliser recommendations tailored to both organic and inorganic farming.
Sharma further added, “Earlier tools often lacked user-friendliness, which discouraged adoption among small-scale farmers. We wanted to change that by making the app accessible, multilingual, and equipped with voice guidance for those who are not literate.
”The team has implemented features in 13 Indian languages and is planning to introduce advanced tools like voice navigation and read-aloud capabilities. These features aim to simplify the app’s usage for farmers in rural areas, ensuring technology reaches even the most underserved communities.
VIT Chennai’s team led by Raazi Faisal.
Another solution was presented by VIT Chennai’s team led by Raazi Faisal. Their prototype focuses on streamlining the supply chain for farmers, eliminating the middlemen who often exploit farmers with unfair pricing.
“We want to ensure equal opportunities for all kinds of farmers,” said Faisal, elaborating that their ML-driven platform allows farmers to list their inventory, access orders directly, and secure payments without intermediaries.
He added, “The platform uses real-time data to provide statistical insights on demand and supply, benefiting both farmers and retailers.” Faisal expressed optimism that their minimum viable product (MVP) could be scaled into a market-ready solution by the end of the Hackathon, adding that localisation features and multilingual support would further ensure its adaptability for diverse farming communities.
The Hackathon, organised by the Union education ministry’s Innovation Cell (MIC) and AICTE, brought attention to other critical issues through six problem statements identified by the Union ministry of earth sciences, including marine monitoring and data-driven environmental solutions.
Participants are undergoing three rounds of evaluation, with mentoring sessions shaping their prototypes into actionable solutions.Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who inaugurated the event, said: “Innovation is not just about technology; it’s about using creativity to address the needs of our people.”
“We want to ensure equal opportunities for all kinds of farmers,” said Faisal, elaborating that their ML-driven platform allows farmers to list their inventory, access orders directly, and secure payments without intermediaries.
He added, “The platform uses real-time data to provide statistical insights on demand and supply, benefiting both farmers and retailers.” Faisal expressed optimism that their minimum viable product (MVP) could be scaled into a market-ready solution by the end of the Hackathon, adding that localisation features and multilingual support would further ensure its adaptability for diverse farming communities.
The Hackathon, organised by the Union education ministry’s Innovation Cell (MIC) and AICTE, brought attention to other critical issues through six problem statements identified by the Union ministry of earth sciences, including marine monitoring and data-driven environmental solutions.
Participants are undergoing three rounds of evaluation, with mentoring sessions shaping their prototypes into actionable solutions.Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who inaugurated the event, said: “Innovation is not just about technology; it’s about using creativity to address the needs of our people.”