<p>Standing confidently on a field bund in Koppal’s Gangavathi, Mahadevi Chandrashekhar pilots a drone buzzing high above the lush green paddy fields. The unusual sight draws the attention of villagers and passersby alike, as people pause to watch the flight of drones and the person skillfully controlling it.</p>.<p>Agricultural work is nothing new for Mahadevi. But her drone skills have sparked a sense of wonder and admiration in her village. </p>.<p>In Gangavathi and surrounding areas, the hum of drones is slowly becoming a familiar sound in the vast paddy fields.</p>.<p>Mahadevi, who hails from Chikkajantakal near Gangavathi, owns a modest rice mill and runs a bank that preserves organic seeds. A seasoned paddy cultivator, she has conserved 80 paddy varieties and developed 10 varieties. Though her formal education ended after SSLC, her ambitions reach far beyond managing the seed bank and farm work. </p>.<p>A couple of years ago, Mahadevi underwent specialised training in Chennai and Hyderabad to operate drones for spraying liquid fertilisers and pesticides under a union government scheme.</p>.<p>The agricultural sector in the region has faced increasing labour shortages over the years. Recognising this challenge, Mahadevi decided to use drones to fill the gap.</p>.<p>Today, she earns Rs 350 to Rs 400 per acre for the drone services she offers. She leads a financially independent life and promotes drone technology among other farmers in the area. </p>.<p class="CrossHead">The 'twelve sisters'</p>.<p>Shanta from Mushtur village in Gangavathi taluk shares a similar inspiring journey. Having studied PUC and equipped with extensive farming experience, she manages two acres of leased farmland. Though two decades have passed since she left college, her zeal for adopting new agricultural technologies remains undiminished.</p>.<p>Working as a Krishi Sakhi (farming facilitator) in her gram panchayat, Shanta is also trained in drone operations. She is among the 12 women from Koppal district certified in drone piloting. Others include Nagaratna A and Tulasi Nekkanti from the nearby Marali village, and women from Kukanoor taluk.</p>.<p>Thirty-two-year-old Tulsi Nekkanti, who won a national award last year for implementing drone technology in the state, has covered around 1,500 acres of land in Gangavathi area in the last one year.</p>.<p>“I get orders throughout the year except in April and May. In a day, we cover around 30 to 35 acres of land using a drone. When done manually, a person can cover a maximum of 10 acres,” said Tulsi. </p>.<p>Situated in the irrigated Tungabhadra command area, Gangavathi and surrounding villages have vast tracts of paddy fields. However, excessive use of pesticides and fertilisers has resulted in air and water pollution, degrading soil fertility. The drone operators feel that drone-based spraying could offer an effective solution to this problem.</p>.<p>According to them, drone spraying delivers the fertilisers in microdroplet form directly onto leaves, ensuring uniform coverage and healthier crops. </p>.<p>“During this year’s kharif season, nearly 7,000 acres of land were covered using drones. We are planning to encourage more women to start piloting drones, by getting more drones through state funds,” said Joint Director of Agriculture Rudreshappa T S.</p>.<p>“Watching drones at fairs and other events sparked my desire to learn piloting. I travelled to distant places for training. Now, this skill has become a source of income for me,” said Mahadevi.</p>.<p>Trained at aeronautics centres in Chennai and Hyderabad over the past year, Koppal’s drone operators have begun practical applications with promising results.</p>.<p>Some have also received training in Mysuru. They are trained to spray pesticides and liquid fertilisers on paddy, maize, sunflower, pigeon pea, jowar and groundnut crops.</p>.<p>However, some agriculturists also express concerns regarding the use of drones in agriculture. “Drone technology in itself may not be harmful but we must be careful as using chemical fertilisers and pesticides is not a sustainable agriculture practice. Also, there are chances that the fertiliser sprayed from the drone may accidentally enter nearby fields and harm them,” said G Krishnaprasad, an agriculture expert.</p>.<p><span class="italic">(Translated from Kannada by Divyashri Mudakavi)</span></p>
<p>Standing confidently on a field bund in Koppal’s Gangavathi, Mahadevi Chandrashekhar pilots a drone buzzing high above the lush green paddy fields. The unusual sight draws the attention of villagers and passersby alike, as people pause to watch the flight of drones and the person skillfully controlling it.</p>.<p>Agricultural work is nothing new for Mahadevi. But her drone skills have sparked a sense of wonder and admiration in her village. </p>.<p>In Gangavathi and surrounding areas, the hum of drones is slowly becoming a familiar sound in the vast paddy fields.</p>.<p>Mahadevi, who hails from Chikkajantakal near Gangavathi, owns a modest rice mill and runs a bank that preserves organic seeds. A seasoned paddy cultivator, she has conserved 80 paddy varieties and developed 10 varieties. Though her formal education ended after SSLC, her ambitions reach far beyond managing the seed bank and farm work. </p>.<p>A couple of years ago, Mahadevi underwent specialised training in Chennai and Hyderabad to operate drones for spraying liquid fertilisers and pesticides under a union government scheme.</p>.<p>The agricultural sector in the region has faced increasing labour shortages over the years. Recognising this challenge, Mahadevi decided to use drones to fill the gap.</p>.<p>Today, she earns Rs 350 to Rs 400 per acre for the drone services she offers. She leads a financially independent life and promotes drone technology among other farmers in the area. </p>.<p class="CrossHead">The 'twelve sisters'</p>.<p>Shanta from Mushtur village in Gangavathi taluk shares a similar inspiring journey. Having studied PUC and equipped with extensive farming experience, she manages two acres of leased farmland. Though two decades have passed since she left college, her zeal for adopting new agricultural technologies remains undiminished.</p>.<p>Working as a Krishi Sakhi (farming facilitator) in her gram panchayat, Shanta is also trained in drone operations. She is among the 12 women from Koppal district certified in drone piloting. Others include Nagaratna A and Tulasi Nekkanti from the nearby Marali village, and women from Kukanoor taluk.</p>.<p>Thirty-two-year-old Tulsi Nekkanti, who won a national award last year for implementing drone technology in the state, has covered around 1,500 acres of land in Gangavathi area in the last one year.</p>.<p>“I get orders throughout the year except in April and May. In a day, we cover around 30 to 35 acres of land using a drone. When done manually, a person can cover a maximum of 10 acres,” said Tulsi. </p>.<p>Situated in the irrigated Tungabhadra command area, Gangavathi and surrounding villages have vast tracts of paddy fields. However, excessive use of pesticides and fertilisers has resulted in air and water pollution, degrading soil fertility. The drone operators feel that drone-based spraying could offer an effective solution to this problem.</p>.<p>According to them, drone spraying delivers the fertilisers in microdroplet form directly onto leaves, ensuring uniform coverage and healthier crops. </p>.<p>“During this year’s kharif season, nearly 7,000 acres of land were covered using drones. We are planning to encourage more women to start piloting drones, by getting more drones through state funds,” said Joint Director of Agriculture Rudreshappa T S.</p>.<p>“Watching drones at fairs and other events sparked my desire to learn piloting. I travelled to distant places for training. Now, this skill has become a source of income for me,” said Mahadevi.</p>.<p>Trained at aeronautics centres in Chennai and Hyderabad over the past year, Koppal’s drone operators have begun practical applications with promising results.</p>.<p>Some have also received training in Mysuru. They are trained to spray pesticides and liquid fertilisers on paddy, maize, sunflower, pigeon pea, jowar and groundnut crops.</p>.<p>However, some agriculturists also express concerns regarding the use of drones in agriculture. “Drone technology in itself may not be harmful but we must be careful as using chemical fertilisers and pesticides is not a sustainable agriculture practice. Also, there are chances that the fertiliser sprayed from the drone may accidentally enter nearby fields and harm them,” said G Krishnaprasad, an agriculture expert.</p>.<p><span class="italic">(Translated from Kannada by Divyashri Mudakavi)</span></p>
