AI for Agriculture: Sri Lanka Keeping Pace with Rapidly Evolving Technologies

By Sunday Observer

Several private sector entities with the support from academia from universities across Sri Lanka have embarked on pilot projects to introduce AI (Artificial Intelligence)-based technologies to boost commercial farming, vital to feed the growing population, said Professor in Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, and University of Peradeniya, Buddhi Marambe to the Sunday Observer.

He said Sri Lanka needs a paradigm shift in thinking at all levels including politicians, administrators, scientists, academia, extension workers, and practitioners (farmers) to keep pace with rapidly evolving technologies.

“The dramatic and more frequently-occurring extreme climatic events has warranted a shift into appropriate technological advances in agriculture to ensure survival. Technology and innovations have become and will be the order of the day in time to come. The world, especially developing countries such as Sri Lanka need a technological revolution in practice and in the mindsets,” Prof. Marambe said, adding that novel technologies will probably be the only solution to reap rich harvests in the future from limited and diminishing resources.

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