Adoption, Awareness and Constraints of Drone Technology in Chilli Farming: A Study in Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

Chilli (Capsicum annuum) is a widely cultivated crop known for its pungent flavour and culinary versatility. It is one of the important commercial spice crops in India, contributing significantly to farmers’ income and agricultural exports. With the rapidly increasing population and rising demand for food, the adoption of modern agricultural technologies has become essential to improve productivity and efficiency in crop production. The traditional methods used by farmers were not sufficient to fulfil these requirements; thus, new automated methods such as drone technology were introduced. Drone technology plays a crucial role in precision agriculture by enabling efficient pesticide spraying, crop monitoring, and better resource management. In this study, the socio-economic profile of chilli farmers, adoption and awareness level of drone technology, and constraints in its adoption were examined using a sample of 160 farmers (80 adopters and 80 non-adopters) in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh. Analyses included simple tabular analysis and weighted mean score. The results revealed that the majority of chilli farmers had a medium level of awareness and adoption of drone technology. The major constraints identified were inadequate size of land holdings, lack of knowledge and technical skills, inadequate training and demonstrations, high initial cost of drones, and limited payload capacity. Although drone technology has significant potential to enhance efficiency, reduce labour dependency, and improve productivity in chilli farming, its adoption remains moderate due to these constraints. Therefore, policy interventions such as organizing regular training programmes, strengthening extension services, promoting custom hiring centres, and providing financial support through subsidies or credit facilities are essential to enhance the adoption of drone technology among chilli farmers.