Telangana Leveraging Modern Technologies to Modernise Irrigation Ecosystem: Uttam Kumar Reddy
The goal of using technology in irrigation related activities, was “to achieve greater water security, improved agricultural productivity, and promote sustainable rural development.”
Hyderabad: Telangana is modernizing its irrigation ecosystem by leveraging advanced technologies including drones, artificial intelligence (AI), geographic information systems (GIS), and the internet of things (IoT), irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said on Saturday.
The goal of using technology in irrigation related activities, was “to achieve greater water security, improved agricultural productivity, and promote sustainable rural development,” he said.
Addressing the Drone Expo & Conference here, Uttam Kumar Reddy said, "drones have become indispensable for precision agriculture helping in monitoring of crop health, manage irrigation schedules efficiently, and significantly reduce resource wastage." Drones, he said, were not just tools but “critical assets enabling farmers to enhance their productivity and sustainability.”
He said just because technology was available, their use cannot be seen as a successful endeavour. “For desired outcomes, what is required is a vision, effective collaboration among stakeholders, and capacity building. Events like Drone Expo play a pivotal role in bringing start-ups, academia, policymakers, and industry leaders together to collaborate, innovate, and develop impactful solutions,” he said.
“I encourage our young minds and entrepreneurs not just to seek job opportunities but to envision and create innovative solutions with real-world impacts,” he added.
The minister said as part of improving the irrigation and agriculture ecosystem, the government had decided to revitalise the Water and Land Management Training and Research Institute (Walamtari). The aim was to reestablish the institute as a premier training and research centre dedicated to modern water management and irrigation practices, he said.
Telangana, he said, was open to collaborative innovation, and that it invited industry stakeholders, start-ups, and academia to partner with the government in piloting new technologies. The state was committed to embedding successful innovations within governance frameworks, particularly in agriculture and irrigation management, he said.
