• Women’s empowerment is the key to building a strong and developed nation. This is especially the case when women flourish economically and contribute to rural prosperity.
• One such initiative, NAMO Drone Didi, was announced by the Prime Minister recently during interaction with beneficiaries of central government’s schemes.

Key Features of NAMO Drone Didi Initiative

• To Modernise Agriculture Practices
• The initiative aims to supply drones to 15,000 women Self Help Groups (SHGs) to rent to farmers for agriculture purposes.
• It is an excellent example of harnessing technological innovation to empower rural women.
• The NAMO Drone Didi initiative positions rural women at the forefront of the rural economy by integrating cutting-edge drone technology into agriculture.
• Also, it addresses the need to modernise agricultural practices and boost productivity.
• To Make Women as Pioneers of Agricultural Revolution
• By placing drone technology in the hands of women pilots from SHGs, the initiative seeks to make them pivotal in spearheading a new agricultural revolution, effectively utilising technology for rural empowerment.
• The NAMO Drone Didi Scheme creates new employment opportunities for rural women as drone pilots, mechanics, and spare-part dealers, contributing to their empowerment and making them the backbone of the rural economy.
• Opportunities for Start-ups: The scheme not only empowers women but also opens avenues for dynamic start-ups in the field of drone aeronautics, tapping into significant untapped potential in this emerging sector.
• An Effective Option as Fertigation System
• The emergence of innovative new liquid fertilisers like Nano Urea and Nano DAP with the foliar application has generated the need for the development of an efficient fertigation system.
• Putting drone technology in the hands of women pilots from SHGs could be an excellent idea since these drones can become fertigation systems.
• Equitable Agrarian Family Culture: The initiative is expected to promote equity and strength in agrarian family culture, with women drone pilots playing a vital role in enhancing agricultural productivity and efficiency.
• Time and Labor Savings: The application of pesticides and liquid fertilisers through drones not only saves farmers from physical toil and hardships but also offers a quicker, more efficient method, allowing time for more productive agricultural work.

India’s Fertiliser Challenges

• Huge Importer of Fertilisers: Though India is the second-largest producer of fertilisers, it is also the second-largest importer due to inadequate availability of natural resources — gas, phosphatic and potassic minerals, etc.
• Pandemic and Geopolitical Situation
• The Covid-19 pandemic and the recent global geopolitical situation posed tough challenges to the sector.
• Fertiliser prices soared the world over to unprecedented levels and then India decided to convert these challenges into opportunities.

 How Did India Overcome These Challenges?

• Revival and Setting up New Plants
• To overcome this dependence on imports, the government has facilitated the revival of several closed-down fertiliser units and encouraged the setting up of new units under the Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme.
• These steps have successfully protected Indian farmers from the price volatility of fertilisers in the international markets.
• Fertiliser Subsidies: Through fertiliser subsidies, the government has been able to ensure that adequate quantities of fertiliser are made available to farmers at the right price at the right time.
• Development of an Efficient Fertigation System
• The government encouraged indigenous research for the development of alternate fertilisers, the outcome of which is the path-breaking liquid nano fertiliser.
• The next challenge after this new invention was to develop an efficient fertigation system.
• That is where the emerging drone technology provided an answer.

The Role of Kisan Drones as an Efficient Fertigation System

• The emergence of Kisan Drones has opened up immense possibilities towards revolutionising agricultural practices.
• The conventional system of spraying pesticides and liquid fertilisers through hand-held back-strapped pumps is not only time-consuming and cumbersome but is also fraught with dangers from the poisonous reptiles and lurking wild animals in the fields.
• The automation of the spraying system by means of agri-drones provides a time-saving and efficient application system.

The Future Prospect of NAMO Drone Didi Initiative

• Gamechanger for Women’s Empowerment and Rural Economy
• The NAMO Drone Didi scheme is poised to be a gamechanger, ushering in a new era of women''s empowerment.
• It can address multiple challenges by placing rural women at the centre of economic activity and rural prosperity.
• Modern Agricultural Revolution: Supported by the network of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Samriddhi Kendras, the initiative is anticipated to be a harbinger of a modern-day agricultural revolution.
• Women’s empowerment is a prerequisite for achieving Viksit Bharat or developed India.
• The NAMO Drone Didi Scheme provides new work opportunities to women making them the backbone of the rural economy.