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Women’s empowerment is the key to building a strong and developed nation. This is especially the case when women flourish economically and contribute to rural prosperity. NAMO Drone Didi — an initiative announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 30 during interaction with beneficiaries in Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra — aims to supply drones to 15,000 women Self Help Groups (SHGs) to rent to farmers for agriculture purposes. It is an excellent example of harnessing technological innovation to empower rural women.
This multifaceted scheme effectively addresses the need to modernise our agricultural practices and increase agricultural productivity by placing cutting-edge technology in the hands of rural women. This makes them the epicentre of the rural economy, spearheading the new agricultural revolution. The scheme also opens up new opportunities for the country’s young and dynamic start-ups to enter the emerging field of drone aeronautics, which has huge untapped potential.
The emergence of innovative new liquid fertilisers like Nano Urea and Nano DAP with the foliar application has generated the need for the development of an efficient fertigation system. Only the Prime Minister could have envisioned such a brilliant idea — putting drone technology in the hands of women pilots from SHGs.
Though India is the second-largest producer of fertilisers, it is also the second-largest importer due to inadequate availability of natural resources — gas, phosphatic and potassic minerals, etc. To overcome this dependence on imports, the government has facilitated the revival of several closed-down fertiliser units and encouraged the setting up of new units under the Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme. These steps have successfully protected Indian farmers from the price volatility of fertilisers in the international markets. Through fertiliser subsidies, the government has been able to ensure that adequate quantities of fertiliser are made available to farmers at the right price at the right time.
The Covid-19 pandemic and the recent global geopolitical situation posed tough challenges to the sector. Fertiliser prices soared the world over to unprecedented levels. We decided to convert these challenges into opportunities. The government encouraged indigenous research for the development of alternate fertilisers, the outcome of which is the path-breaking liquid nano fertiliser. The next challenge after this new invention was to develop an efficient fertigation system. That is where the emerging drone technology provided an answer.
The emergence of Kisan Drones has opened up immense possibilities towards revolutionising agricultural practices. The conventional system of spraying pesticides and liquid fertilisers through hand-held back-strapped pumps is not only time-consuming and cumbersome but is also fraught with dangers from the poisonous reptiles and lurking wild animals in the fields. The automation of the spraying system by means of agri-drones provides a time-saving and efficient application system. Drone manufacturing activity has created tremendous employment opportunities for the youth. Going further, this new field will also create opportunities for rural women pilots, mechanics, and spare-part dealers.
I believe that women’s empowerment is a prerequisite for achieving Viksit Bharat or developed India. The NAMO Drone Didi Scheme provides new work opportunities to women. It makes them the backbone of the rural economy.
This will go a long way in making our agrarian family culture more equitable and strong. A woman drone pilot can play a vital role in increasing agricultural productivity and efficiency. The application of pesticides and liquid fertilisers through drones will not only save the physical toil and hardship to the farmers but will also be quicker, saving time, which can be utilised for more productive work.
The NAMO Drone Didi scheme will be a gamechanger. It will usher in a new chapter of women’s empowerment and effectively address multiple issues by providing an opportunity for rural women to be at the centre stage of economic activity and rural prosperity. There is no doubt that the scheme supported by the newly created network of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Samriddhi Kendras, which provide agricultural services under one roof, will prove to be a harbinger of modern-day agricultural revolution and prosperity in a largely agrarian country like ours.
The writer is Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers and Health and Family Welfare
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