Artificial Intelligence in agriculture only way to strengthen country's economy:.

MULTAN -- Agriculture is backbone of country's economy. It accounts for nearly 19% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). With agro-based products, the sector fetches 80% of the country's total export earnings. More than 42 percent of the labour force is directly or indirectly engaged with the agriculture sector. Agriculture sector offers raw materials to major industries including textile, leather, rice processing, edible oil, sugar and some others. However, this highly important sector is faced with many challenges including poor quality seeds, substandard fertilizers, fake pesticides, attack of different diseases on crops, low fertility of soil, weeds, excessive use of pesticides as well as some other toxic chemicals and above all, conventional ways of agricultural practices. Many countries including the United States of America, China, and European nations achieved commendable successes in the agriculture sector by utilizing modern technologies especially " Artificial Intelligence" (AI) in the Agriculture sector.

Artificial Intelligence is the ability of a computer to act like a human being. It has several applications, including software simulations and robotics, which are helpful in addressing problems and easing human lives in almost all sectors of human interest.

Artificial intelligence in the agriculture sector is playing an important role in resolving problems, including management of crops, soil, water, climate changes and even marketing of agricultural products in different developed countries of the world.

However, our country is lagging behind in this field, said Vice Chancellor Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture Dr Asif Ali, while talking to reporter. For example, he elaborated, "a drone camera flies over a field and takes images of fields within a few minutes." The images, taken through a drone camera, could easily identify the affected areas of the crop. With the help of AI, a better and timely decision for the treatment of the damaged portions of the field could be taken.

Artificial Intelligence can help the agriculture sector in many ways including forecasts about weather changing patterns, temperature , moisture, pace of wind, soil condition, harvesting technology, detection of disease in crops/plants, poor plant nutrition and it also presents a precise solution to all problems of crops, says Asif. Modern spray machines with some particular sensors for detection and elimination of harmful weeds in the...