Jammu, Feb 17 (IANS): The Jammu and Kashmir government has approved an ambitious Rs 30.40 crore project -- 'Sensor-based Smart Agriculture' -- envisaging integration of agriculture with technology driven by artificial insemination and IoT for automation of practices, enhanced resource use efficiency and profitability, officials said on Friday.

The project would enable the use of hi-tech polyhouses for cultivation of cash crops around the year with the application of Internet of Things (IoT) and automation for monitoring microclimatic parameters of plants.

Under the project, a sensor-based pilot study will be conducted on high-density apple orchards, protected cultivation and smart livestock farming.

The objective is to increase the use of resources and improve efficiency by up to 80 per cent and automate agricultural operations with precision in high-density plantings of apple, vegetables and livestock.

"The outcome of the project will be 50-80 per cent increase in resource use efficiency, the development of a sensor-based grading and sorting system of apple and development of a decision support system for pest and disease management," said Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Department.

"The real-time detection and variable rate spray using robotics and drones will reduce the production cost by 80 per cent. The proposal also aims to build a sensor corridor for livestock and phenotyping and yield prediction," he added.

He said that trained manpower comprising graduates, certificate and diploma holders in fields of IOT, artificial intelligence and machine learning will form a new startup culture in the sensor-based agriculture system.

The project is one among the 29 projects, which were approved by the Jammu and Kashmir administration after being recommended by the Uniion Territory Level Apex Committee for holistic development of agriculture and allied sectors in J&K.