Punjab is reviewing the use of modern digital technologies, artificial intelligence and advanced digital models to improve agricultural services and provide farmers with more timely information. Punjab Minister for Agriculture Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani said the digitalization of agriculture is an important part of the province’s ongoing agricultural transformation agenda during a meeting at the Civil Secretariat. The meeting focused on proposals aimed at using technology to improve farmer advisory services, collect agricultural data and support better decision making across the sector. Punjab Agriculture Secretary Shakeel Ahmad Mian also attended the meeting.
During the meeting, officials briefed the agriculture minister on an advanced mobile application for crops developed by Syngenta Pakistan. The application is intended to support the collection of information related to crop growth and other important agricultural indicators while providing farmers with more timely and effective advisory services. Kirmani emphasized that modern digital tools should be used to make farmer advisory services more effective and results oriented. The discussion also highlighted the role that digital platforms can play in providing agricultural information directly to farmers, allowing relevant guidance to reach them according to crop conditions and other factors affecting agricultural production. The use of mobile applications could also provide agriculture authorities with access to additional field data, which can support the assessment of crop development and help identify issues requiring attention.
Agriculture Secretary Shakeel Ahmad Mian said modern digital technologies could also improve the diagnosis of crop diseases by supporting their timely identification and helping farmers receive appropriate guidance. Early detection can allow farmers to respond to crop problems more quickly and obtain information about suitable measures. The meeting further discussed the potential role of public private partnerships in promoting digital agricultural technologies and improving advisory services. Officials said collaboration between government institutions and private sector technology providers could support the adoption of applications and other digital tools across the agriculture sector. The Punjab government indicated that it would make use of modern applications and artificial intelligence based technologies for this purpose, with the objective of providing farmers with agricultural information suited to current requirements.
The meeting also reviewed several proposals for applying advanced artificial intelligence models to agriculture and improving access to modern agricultural information. The proposed use of AI and digital systems covers areas including crop monitoring, agricultural data collection, disease diagnosis and farmer advisory services. The focus on these technologies comes as Punjab examines ways to make agricultural services more responsive to conditions in the field and improve the flow of information between farmers and government services. By incorporating digital applications and AI based models into agricultural support systems, provincial authorities are seeking to provide farmers with more timely information while making greater use of data generated from crops and agricultural activity. The proposals remain part of the government’s ongoing review of technology based agricultural services, with further work expected on how these tools can be deployed through government programs and partnerships with private sector technology providers.
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