Andhra Pradesh is moving towards smart, technology-driven, and sustainable agriculture to raise farmers’ incomes, Agriculture Minister K. Atchannaidu said on Tuesday. The State aims to convert every drop of water into income through automation-based micro-irrigation systems, he said.
The Minister was speaking after inaugurating an automation facility of the State Horticulture Department at the Integrated Water Resources Management and Farmer Training Centre in Vijayawada. He said falling water levels, climate change, and rising input costs have made the shift from traditional farming unavoidable.
Mr. Atchannaidu said Andhra Pradesh, already a leader in micro-irrigation, is strengthening its approach by moving from “Per Drop More Crop” to “Per Drop More Returns. Sensors, data analytics, and automation will guide irrigation and fertiliser use with precision, reducing guesswork. This is expected to save 20–30% water, cut labour costs, and improve crop yield and quality.
The automation-based system will benefit horticulture crops, plantations, greenhouses, shade net cultivation, and other high-value crops. It is being implemented across the State under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, with support of up to ₹40,000 per hectare. Small, marginal, SC, and ST farmers will get 55% subsidy, while others will receive 45%. The Minister said transparency will be ensured.
