ABSTRACT
This chapter assesses the complementarity of precision farming/ site specific input management techniques and conservation agriculture (CA) for sustaining productivity and improving input use efficiency and profitability. There is a tremendous scope for application of precision farming technologies in CA as both the systems strive to lessen environmental pollution, improve water quality and reduce nutrient runoff. Conventional tillage-based soil management for intensive crop production followed over large swath of the country commonly leads to soil degradation and eventual loss of crop productivity. An important effect of precision farming is the high environmental benefit from using fertilizers, manure and plant protection chemicals only where and when they are required. CA can adapt itself to these precision irrigation water management techniques to further improve its efficiency while reducing the environmental impact of farming on surface and ground water pollution. Laser-assisted land-leveling is a resource-conserving precision farming technology introduced mainly to the Indo-Gangetic Plains.
