Can a new App revolutionise tea industry in Assam?

Guwahati: How does a tea garden manager know in real time whether pesticides have been sprayed on time or not, whether plucking has been done at correct intervals or whether harvesting has been done properly or not?

More often than not, it becomes very difficult for managers in large estates to keep a daily check on daily work, pests and other events.

All that has changed now with Tata Consultancy Services having developed an E-plantation application- Digital Farming Initiative (DFI) mobile app for reporting pest disease and other events in real-time.

 Seven gardens in Assam under Amalgamated Plantations Private Limited( APPL) have started using the mobile app. APPL has 24 gardens in Assam and Dooars.

“The application provides a digital platform for various aspects of tea estate operations. Initially, only the plucking and spraying activities were captured digitally for daily work scheduling, using the TCS-developed DFI mobile app for event reporting of pest disease and other events. Now all other field activities have been on-boarded on the e-plantation platform,” a senior official from APPL said.

A presentation on Tea and Technology was given by Dr Sanat Sarangi of TCS at BATIC2024 which was held recently to celebrate 200 years of Assam tea. The presentation was on Digital Food Initiatives (DFI) value chain which links suppliers, government and research organizations, produce markets, and the farming community through TCS’ 4A principle (Acquire, Analyse, Advice, and Actuate). The presentation spoke on the E- plantation application which saves time and money while ensuring effectiveness across seasons.

The seven gardens of APPL which are using the E plantation application are Powai, Chubwa, Nahortoli, Nahorkutia, Achabam, Lattakoojan and Lamabari. “The benefits expected are digital record keeping of all field activities/operations which is currently manual,” the APPL official said.

To cite an example, the data captured through daily digital planning and work scheduling using e-Plantation application can capture section wise dates of plucking and plucking intervals, pesticide spraying volume and pesticide type used, gap of spraying to plucking from above data of plucking date and spraying date in the same section, and labour deployment typewise and others.

The official said e-Plantation utilizes digital technologies and a data-driven approach to optimize various aspects of tea farming through the following key features:

1. Data Management: It enables efficient management of plantation data, such as workforce deployment, inventory management & pest management.

2. Resource Optimization: By providing real-time insights and analytics, the application helps optimize resource allocation, including labour, fertilizers, and pesticides.

3. Task Management: It facilitates the scheduling and tracking of tasks such as plucking, pruning, and all other field-related activities, improving overall productivity and adherence to schedules.

 4. Quality control and compliance: It assists in monitoring and maintaining tea quality standards, by tracking operations like plucking and spraying and monitoring the safe harvesting periods, helping in adherence to FSSAI regulations on MRL. It helps ensure compliance with industry regulations and standards while streamlining reporting processes, and reducing paperwork and administrative burdens.

The digitally captured data for plucking and spraying are displayed using a Smart MIS dashboard.

“Through data analysis, the application aids in cost management by identifying areas for efficiency improvements and input reduction. It also tracks and manages inventory levels of inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides and helps in understanding the allocated resources such as labour, and materials based on data and analytics,” the official said.

It monitors pest populations before and after spraying to evaluate the effectiveness of pesticide treatments which is again based on the compiled data, capturing all details about the spraying operations.

E-Plantation application has the potential to revolutionize the tea industry by integrating traditional cultivation practices with advanced technologies such as satellite imagery, artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics in several ways. “Satellite imagery and AI has still not been integrated, though it will soon become an integral part of the application, saving more time for the tea planters to physically check and scan the tea fields for pests, diseases and nutrient deficiencies.

The application, once integrated with other AI and real-time tools like the one developed by Ms Tech Camellia, will utilize predictive analytics to anticipate challenges such as pest outbreaks, adverse weather conditions, and yield fluctuations. “By forecasting these events, tea plantations will be able to proactively implement mitigation strategies, reducing risks and ensuring consistent tea production,” the official said.

“By analyzing historical data on labour requirements and task performance, E-Plantation optimizes labour allocation and scheduling. It identifies inefficiencies in labour-intensive tasks such as plucking and pruning, suggesting improvements to maximize productivity and reduce costs,” the official said. E-Plantation aims to address several challenges in tea plantations while improving productivity, resource efficiencies, and sustainability compared to conventional methods:

Traditional tea farming often relies heavily on manual labour, which can be inefficient and costly. “e-Plantation helps optimize labour management by streamlining task allocation, scheduling, and performance monitoring. This leads to improved productivity and reduced labour costs,” the official said.

Conventional methods of resource management in tea plantations may result in overuse or underutilization of inputs such as fertilizers, and pesticides. “e-Plantation employs data analytics and has a future potential to use AI to optimize resource allocation based on precise crop requirements, soil conditions, and environmental factors. This will reduce waste, improve resource efficiency, and minimize environmental impact,” the official said.

Conventional tea farming often relies on subjective observations and trial-and-error approaches to decision-making. “e-Plantation promotes data-driven decision-making and also has a potential future for integrating information from sensors, satellite imagery, and historical data. This will further enable tea planters to make informed choices, regarding crop management, pest control, and resource allocation, leading to more effective and sustainable practices,” the official said.

Regarding quality and traceability, e-Plantation facilitates quality control and traceability, through data tracking and documentation. “It monitors factors, such as leaf quality, processing methods, and pesticide usage, providing transparency throughout the supply chain and enhancing the value of tea products,” the official said, adding integrating advanced technologies and best practices, empowers tea farmers to achieve higher yields, lower costs, and greater environmental stewardship.

The application respects and integrates traditional tea farming practices into its digital platform. “It recognizes the value of centuries-old wisdom, passed down through generations of tea planters and combines it with modern technologies to enhance effectiveness and efficiency. The application will still be used by the same field staff, providing them with an edge over the methods they used conventionally to update deployment of all resources in the field,” the official said.