A Study of Source of Information and Cost of Cultivation under Precision Farming in Krishnagiri District of Tamil Nadumil Nadu

Precision farming uses a system approach to provide a new solution to contemporary agriculture. In Tamil Nadu, precision farming was implemented under the Tamil Nadu Precision Farming Project (TNPFP) in Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts on about 400 ha from 2004-05 onwards. Most parts of the Krishnagiri district are semi-arid tracts with low rainfall and low productivity. In this context, there is a need for studying the impact of technological innovations like precision farming on resource-poor regions and underprivileged farm households. Specifically, the study has looked into the productivity, income and employment at farm level. Hence, Krishnagiri district was selected as the study area. As per the report of the government of Tamil Nadu, the number of precision farmers was high in Krishnagiri district. The study covered 168 precision farmers and 84 non precision farmers as the sample respondents to collect data. Thus the total size of the sample came to 252. The study found that the share of cost in the case of precision farmers was highest for human labour 27.17 per cent because to increase yield more labour required especially at the time of harvesting or cutting of the vegetables and flowers. Found that farmers used four types of fertilizer they are, straight fertilizer (urea, potash), farm yard manure (FYM - cow dung, poultry manure and vermin compost), bio-fertilizer (trichoderma) and water soluble fertilizer (19-19-19, Multi K) in the study area. Furhter observed that the FYM and bio- fertilizers involve high cost due to scarcity of cattle and awareness about the importance of FYM on soil quality.