IKrishiNet: An Integrated Framework for Sustainable Farming and Disease Management

To meet the growing population's demands, agricultural production had to be maximised in the food industry, with minimal effect on natural resources. Therefore, the Green Revolution was introduced to increase yields and maximise production, but this concept demanded the use of excessive agrochemicals which resulted in environmental pollution and undesirable consequences, affecting the overall environmental sustainability. To address this, organic or sustainable farming methods have become prevalent and according to an article, as of 2022, over 3.92 per cent of the net area in India has come under organic farming and this number is continuously growing. One of the challenges faced by farmers in the agricultural sector today is to detect and control diseases that affect their crops. Diseases can reduce the quality and quantity of the produce, and increase the costs of production. This paper explores the various existing methods used in disease management and proposes a technology-based solution to help make the production process more energy and time-efficient. The proposed solution also addresses gaps that the existing products in today's market do not solve while educating and building awareness on sustainable farming. Therefore, the solution is an AI-based smartphone application, that can help manage diseases in agricultural produce sustainably, while educating the users on the concepts of sustainability and organic farming. The iLeaf application is designed to be user-friendly, affordable, and compatible with the users’ needs. It aims to improve the productivity and efficiency of farmers while reducing harmful implications on the environment.