Technology Assisted Knowledge Agriculture for Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

The most challenging part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs) of ending poverty in “all its form from the planet” is to provide food to 1.45 billion poor people including 689 million, children living in 103 countries. Our finding shows that most of farming communities don't possess knowledge and skill to use new methods of food and livestock production. The farmers in many countries are uneducated and depend upon traditional myths and methods for predicting the season and cultivation. They are deprived of the benefits of the modern researches and largely ignorant of their roles in preventing climate change and sustaining the planet's natural resources. Failure of states, its national economic and banking institutions, high level of corruption, poor implementation of policies, absence of proper marketing facilities, profit making behavior of middle men, lack of finances with the farmers are other key factors. They need to be skilled in areas such as precision farming, proper and optimal use of seeds and fertilizers, availing the benefits of the government policies and banking institutions, understanding the methods for selling their products profitably in the market, apart from the new tools and technology to enhance their production. In our studies, we found that it is possible only by use of ICT technology. Further, our study found that their interest in sustaining planet's natural resources, stopping the use of chemical fertilizers, growing organic food and maintaining climate requires sustained efforts in attitudinal changes. Execution of technology assisted skill development projects in part of India and Ethiopia and their sustained monitoring for many years by us showed that the farmers get motivated and use the new technology when they find the benefits in terms of improved yield and financial gains. They especially get encouraged to use technology to find solutions when they face draught, flood, pest/worm attack and for availing benefit of government schemes. The paper further propounds that the use of emerging technologies for smart farming needs a new radical approach to R&D and farmer's education.