The Challenges of Using Remote Sensing Based Irrigation Recommendation Technology on Smallholder Farms in India

The agriculture sector plays a vital role in sustaining the burgeoning global population, yet it also poses significant environmental challenges. Various tools and technologies have been introduced to boost agricultural productivity while reducing environmental degradation. However, the adoption rate of these technologies is low, specifically among smallholder farmers in rural regions. These farmers typically have lower education levels and limited access to infrastructure and maintenance services. Despite their individual small scale, smallholder farmers collectively make substantial contributions to agricultural production and environmental impact. Irrigation scheduling technologies appropriate for rural settings, such as remote sensing, need to be adapted for smallholder farmers to effectively support their needs. This research analyzes data from two companies offering remote sensing-based irrigation recommendations to smallholder farmers. The accuracy of these recommendations is questionable, and the current application setup is not suited to the needs of smallholder farmers. We propose several changes to the platform to improve its applicability to the smallholder farmer context.