Officials urged to promote use of drones in farming

West Godavari District Collector Chadalavada Nagarani stressed the need to encourage the use of drones in agriculture to make farming more profitable.
An awareness and registration programme on the use of drones was organised by the DRDA, Agriculture Department, and Byrraju Foundation here on Tuesday. Addressing the gathering, Collector Nagarani said that promoting drones in agriculture could help farmers increase their profits by reducing pesticide wastage. She highlighted that drones enable more efficient pesticide spraying, minimising both costs and health risks.
The Collector explained that manual pesticide spraying requires more time, higher quantities of chemicals, and increased labour costs. Additionally, workers exposed to pesticides during spraying face potential health hazards, which could sometimes be fatal, she cautioned.
Collector Nagarani revealed that Coromandel Fertilizers had provided six drones to selected farmers in the district. The farmers have completed their training and are now using the drones. A drone worth approximately ?10 lakh was handed over with an 80% subsidy.
She further noted that the National Skill Training Institute would offer a 15-day training programme on drone operations to interested women from Self Help Groups (SHGs), along with certification. After completing the training, they would be able to operate drones in the farming sector and earn a livelihood. The training, which would typically cost ?40,000, is being offered at ?25,000 with the support of the National Skill Training Institute, she added.
DRDA MSS Venugopal, Agriculture Officer J. Venkateswara Rao, KVK Coordinator Mallikharjun Rao, and Byrraju Foundation Coordinator P. Bhanumurthy were also present at the event.