Agricultural Informatics as a Branch of Study in Information Sciences and Technology Domain: A Proposal towards Digital Agriculture

Abstract

Agricultural Informatics is an important and valuable domain in the field of interdisciplinary sciences. This is responsible for the applications of Information Technology, Computing, and similar technologies into the agricultural activities. This is the combination of Agricultural Science and Information Sciences. The field due to technological nature is very closed with the Agricultural Engineering or Agricultural Technology. There are many allied and similar nomenclature of the fields, but all of these are primarily responsible for the same purpose. The field is rapidly increasing in recent past and most practiced in the developed nation. However, in developing countries as well Agricultural Informatics becomes an emerging field of practice and growing rapidly. Agricultural Informatics is growing both in pre and post agricultural activity. This branch is considered as branch of Information Sciences & Technology due to its technological applications in the field of agriculture and allied areas. Information Sciences are the broadest field within the allied branches and growing rapidly. Agricultural Informatics educational programs have started in recent past in different level and stream of education viz. science and technology. However, within the broad periphery of Information Sciences it could be offered in other streams and under the wide variety of Information Sciences. This paper is broad and interdisciplinary in nature and deals with the aspects Information Sciences including features, basic role, Information Sciences and Technology, including features, nature, scope and also the potentialities in respect of Agricultural Informatics.