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lucky jason mraz lyrics Moravec’s paradox, which explains that Artificial Intelligence (AI) excels at complex tasks beyond human capability but struggles with tasks requiring direct interaction with the environment, offers scope for cross-linking human intelligence with AI for mutual improvement. This paradox could pave the way for developing Hybrid Agricultural Intelligence (HAI) by combining farmers’ knowledge with AI, creating sustainable solutions that are tailored to the dynamic challenges confronting India’s agricultural sector. Agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy. As in the Economic Survey’s provisional estimate for 2023-24, the contribution of agriculture to the Indian GDP is pegged at 18.2 % at current prices while providing a livelihood to 42.3% of the 1.4 billion citizens. India’s agriculture, done in 219.16 million hectares during 2021-22 (Land Use Statistics at a Glance-2018-19 to 2021-22, Government of India), has been shaped by the unique knowledge and adaptive strategies of farmers accumulated over thousands of years of ecological understanding. Indian farmers have developed deep knowledge to deal with diverse seed and planting material requirements, crop rotation and management, soil types, weather patterns and consumer preference. This traditional “farmers’ intelligence” or the Indigenous Technology Knowledge (ITK) forms a vital foundation for smallholders (who constitute over 80% of the agricultural community), to sustain yields on small land holdings despite minimal resources and unpredictable monsoons. Complementing this, scientific research led by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has further enriched farmers’ knowledge and capabilities, playing a key role in empowering them and contributing to India’s rise as a leading agricultural nation. The advent of technology In recent years, AI, machine learning, drone applications, cutting-edge sensors and remote sensing technologies well-suited to the large farming areas have helped agriculture rapidly advance in developed countries. Now, increasingly, these innovations have begun making an entry in Indian agriculture, with an aim to enhance productivity and efficiency and also sustain the environment. However, small landholdings create unique challenges for Indian farmers to adopt AI technologies since they are designed for large farms. Hence, many still rely on traditional farming knowledge which has allowed Indian farmers to manage microclimates and optimise yields through century-long accrued insights through a combination of practical tactile observations, visual cues and oral folklore passed down through generations. Their ITK was refined over hundreds of years, including the Green Revolution period as well, allowing them to develop adaptive strategies in local agriculture that could align with natural resources constraints, ecological changes and enhanced resilience against different stresses. Innovative farmers have developed new crop varieties through long-term breeding. The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act (PPVFRA) was established in 2001 to protect their contributions. Additionally, many farmers conserve wild cereal, millet varieties and horticultural crops with valuable traits, recognised through the PPVFRA’s Genome Saviour Awards. Farmers and village artisans have also created tools and equipment that are suited to Indian agriculture, such as the popular coconut climbing device by M.J. Joseph of Kerala, known as the ‘Chemperi Joseph’ device. Rural Indian women constitute 48% of self-employed farmers and 33% of agricultural labourers, making them integral to sustainable farming practices. They handle critical tasks such as seed selection and planting, polycropping, soil health, water management and pest control involving low-input, organic methods, and post-harvest processing suitable for local conditions. Their expertise in agriculture plays a vital role in enhancing the resilience of smallholder farms against environmental changes. On indigenous knowledge To capture the indigenous agriculture technologies developed by the farmers, the ICAR, in the year 2000, under the National Agricultural Technology Programme, had initiated a Mission Mode Project on Collection, Documentation and Validation of the ITK. The information had been published as the Inventory of ITK in Agriculture as two part documents (Das et al., 2002). These remain an important repository of Indian farmers’ knowledge which could be put to wider use. Despite the robustness of Indian farmers’ indigenous knowledge, which evolved alongside Green Revolution technologies to adapt to local conditions, the increasing pressures of soil degradation, climate change, market volatility, limited resources including labour now demand enhanced support systems. This is where the potential of AI and modern technology becomes particularly relevant. The Global AI market is growing at a CAGR of 23.1% from 2023 to 2028, with a rise in investments from $1.47 billion to $4.7 billion during this period. It is estimated that the adoption of AI could reduce cost of cultivation by 22% as in an Ark-Investment report. Already, under the AI4AI programme (AI for Agriculture Innovation) started by the Indian government, an initiative called ‘Saagu Baagu’ in Khammam district of Telangana State had shown that from 2020 to 2023, the adoption of AI-enhanced chilli yield by 21% per acre, reduced pesticide application by 9%, a 5% decrease in fertilizer usage, and an 8% improvement in unit prices due to quality enhancements. Consequently, chilli farmers earned more than ₹66,000 per acre per crop cycle, enhancing their income substantially. This clearly indicates the scope of AI in transforming Indian agriculture. To effectively develop hybrid agricultural intelligence (HAI), farmers need to recognise the value of their own agricultural knowledge as well as the potential of modern AI technologies. Training programmes should be implemented to educate them on using AI tools in conjunction with their farming practices. Need for collaborative platforms Collaborative platforms should be developed where farmers can share their farming knowledge with AI developers while integrating agricultural technologies generated by research organisations. This will not only refine AI tools for agriculture but also provide farmers with advanced insights and innovative solutions to enhance their practices. This ongoing data integration will create a symbiosis of farmers’ wisdom and modern technology, resulting in continuous adaptive solutions modified to changing farming needs. AI platforms such as ‘Kisan-e-mitra’, ‘Bhashini’ and ‘Sarvam’ can facilitate this exchange through multilingual support. Pilot projects must be launched across regions to test this hybrid approach, evaluating its impact on efficiency, yields, income, and overall sustainability and refined further. Partnerships among the government, ICAR, tech companies, and farmers’ cooperatives are crucial for developing HAI. However, such partnerships should be equitable, ethical, inclusive and ensure safeguarding national data, the interests of the farming community, and farm labour and the food security of the nation. Guaranteeing affordable and accessible AI tools for smallholder farmers is of paramount importance too. Despite challenges such as data integration, privacy concerns, financial constraints, and social resistance, if successfully implemented, HAI has the potential to transform Indian agriculture. By combining farmers’ knowledge with AI, HAI can make farming more resilient, sustainable, and adaptable to future challenges, leading to a more prosperous and resource-efficient agricultural sector in India. Murali Gopal is Principal Scientist, Agricultural Microbiology and Head of the Division of Physiology, Biochemistry and Post-Harvest Technology, ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod, Kerala. Alka Gupta is Principal Scientist, Agricultural Microbiology, ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute Kasaragod, Kerala. The views expressed are personal Published - December 04, 2024 04:00 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit India / farms / Artificial Intelligence / agriculture / agricultural research and technology / economy (general) / Economic Survey / government / Monsoon / weather science / Kerala / laws / labour / water / pesticides / environmental issues / climate change / Telangana / online / finance (general) / Sustainability / award and prize / genderGlobal stocks end mostly up with DAX crossing 20,000 for 1st time

DEAR RUSTY: I turned 64 in July and my wife turned 62 in August. My wife has not worked for approximately 15 years but does qualify for Social Security on her prior work record. My wife is having some physical issues and would like to not return to work. Since she is eligible to collect Social Security, that would be an option to provide additional income, so she doesn’t have to work. My question is how would it affect her future SS spousal benefits based on my record if she begins collecting her own benefit now? I plan to work until at least my full retirement age (67), and maybe longer, but plan to start collecting SS at 67 even I continue working. — Working Husband DEAR WORKING: If your wife has the required 40 SS quarter credits, she is eligible to collect reduced retirement benefits at 62 (for that needed extra income), but her age 62 benefit will be about 70% of what it would be if she waited until her SS full retirement age (FRA) to claim. That reduction would, in turn, carry over to her spousal benefit when you eventually claim your SS benefit. Here’s why: Your wife’s spousal amount when you claim will be a combination of her own SS retirement benefit, plus an auxiliary amount (a “spousal boost”) that she is entitled to as your spouse. At age 62, her own benefit will be cut by 30% and she can collect that reduced amount until you claim, at which point her spousal boost will be added to make her benefit equal her spousal entitlement. So, her total benefit as your spouse (when you claim) will consist of her reduced age-62 amount, plus an additional amount as your spouse. If you claim at 67, your wife will be about two years short of her own FRA, which means that her spousal boost amount will also be reduced for early claiming. That reduced spousal boost will be added to her already reduced (age 62) SS retirement benefit, which will make her total benefit less than 50% of your FRA benefit amount. So, your wife claiming her own reduced SS retirement benefit at 62 also means her spousal benefit amount will be affected, and taking her spousal boost before her FRA means that the boost amount will also be reduced for early claiming. The only way your wife can get the full 50% of your FRA entitlement is to wait until she reaches her own FRA (67) to claim Social Security benefits. Having said all of that, if your wife’s physical issues suggest that she claims her benefits early and she is comfortable with the smaller benefit she will get, then that may be the right choice. For reference, the reduction to your wife’s spousal boost amount (if you claim at your FRA) will be about 17%, and that reduced spousal boost will be added to her reduced age 62 SS retirement amount. The end benefit for your wife (if you claim at age 67) will likely be about 42% of your FRA entitlement (instead of 50%). FYI, you can further delay your own SS retirement benefit (up to age 70) for a higher benefit yourself, but that would also mean your wife would need to wait longer to get her spousal boost. You could also wait to claim your SS until your wife reaches age 67 (her FRA), which would give you a higher personal amount and also ensure your wife gets her maximum spousal boost (but her total will still be less than 50% of yours because she claimed her own SS retirement benefit at 62). When to claim Social Security depends on financial need and life expectancy. If a long life expectancy is anticipated, waiting longer to claim is often the best move. But financial need always trumps waiting longer. (Russell Gloor is the national Social Security advisor at the AMAC Foundation, the non-profit arm of the Association of Mature American Citizens.)

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Eight mobile phones and 103 packets of tobacco were seized during a search operation at Ferozepur Central Jail on Monday. A case under Sections 42 and 52A of the Prisons Act has been registered following a complaint by the assistant jail superintendent. The police have launched an investigation to identify those responsible. According to police reports, this year, a total of 473 mobile phones, including 4 keypads and 4 touchscreens in the latest seizure, have been recovered from the jail along with other banned items. Monthly data reveals a disturbing trend, with significant recoveries across the months, peaking at 71 in January. Officials cite lax entry checks and insufficient monitoring as key factors enabling the smuggling of contraband, often thrown over prison walls. The prison’s location, surrounded by dense residential and commercial areas, compounds the issue. According to insiders, packets containing mobile phones and intoxicants are frequently hurled into the premises, exploiting security gaps. A former jail official emphasised that unrestricted access to phones undermines the purpose of imprisonment. “The availability of phones inside the prison defeats the purpose of punishment. A controlled phone facility should have proper recording and monitoring to prevent illegal activities,” he said. A security officer, on condition of anonymity, said: “Advanced screening technologies, enhanced surveillance systems, stricter visitation policies, restricted parole for inmates found with contraband, and data-driven analysis to detect smuggling patterns are essential to address this issue.” Satnam Singh, jail superintendent of Ferozepur, acknowledged the challenges posed by the prison’s urban surroundings but stressed ongoing efforts to counteract the contraband influx. “Being situated in a densely populated area makes it a daunting task to prevent contraband from being thrown into the premises. However, we are making every effort to tackle the issue,” Singh said.