Syngenta India has formed a collaboration with IoTechWorld Avigation to spread the usage of drone technology for spraying agrochemicals across India. Under the terms of this agreement, the two companies will collaborate to create job opportunities for rural youth by training and preparing them to use drones.
Both parties have agreed for collaborating to leverage their respective strengths in order to promote the spraying of Syngenta-approved crop protection chemicals in various Indian territories using IoTechWorld’s drone technology. “In the first phase, 200 rural youth will be trained and hired to spray. Over 400 acres of large-scale trials were conducted, and data for 20 crops was submitted to regulators,” explained Susheel Kumar, MD & Country Head Syngenta India. The Agribot drone from IoTechWorld is being used across all of Syngenta’s spray services and products.
Sachin Kamra, Head, Farmer Centric Ecosystem, Syngenta India said, “Syngenta was the first private organisation to receive permission from the Central Insecticides Board to use drones to spray its product Amistar on paddy crops to protect the crops from fungal infections, Blast, and Sheath Blight. Encouraged by this, as well as the policy push by the Government of India and various state governments, Syngenta organised a one-of-a-kind Drone Yatra in which a drone awareness van travelled 17,000 kilometres across 13 states, reaching out to 15,000 farmers and giving them drone spraying demonstrations.”
Underlining the partnership, Deepak Bhardwaj, Director, IoTechWorld Avigation said, “We are revolutionising spraying of agrochemicals in India and assisting in the rapid and advanced mechanisation of Indian agriculture. We want to work with Syngenta to help farmers get the most out of plant protection chemicals, save money, and get better results. We also want to help create jobs in rural areas by developing agri-entrepreneurs.”
Speaking about the execution of the programme, Rajendra Jog, Country Director, Syngenta Foundation India said, “Complementing the joint efforts of Syngenta India and IoTechWorld, Syngenta Foundation India is engaged in identifying suitable Agri Entrepreneurs (AEs) and facilitating drone pilot training to them. This will aid in providing our AEs with additional income-generating opportunities. The Foundation will serve as a catalyst in the overall programme and will continue to support this endeavour in the future.”
Syngenta and IoTechWorld will collaborate to encourage 200 Syngenta Foundation India agri-entrepreneurs and village-level entrepreneurs (VLEs) to participate in this programme. “IoTechWorld will provide drone pilot training and assist interested individuals in obtaining pilot licences, assist Syngenta in Drone Fleet Management, and promote spray services using only approved Syngenta agrochemicals,” Bhardwaj added.
Syngenta will also collaborate closely with IoTechWorld to promote drone spraying technology in all educational and promotional campaigns, as well as support the deployment of at least 2,000 drones under the micro and village-level agri-entrepreneur programme, as well as train and develop rural youth.
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