Rockwell Automation Collaboration Improves Dairy Farming in Rural India

Rockwell Automation, in collaboration with ISAP India Foundation and eVerse.AI, is helping advance dairy farming in Wardha District, Maharashtra, India. The project, coined "Economic and Social Development of Indian Village Through Technology-Enabled Dairy Farming," is focused on providing farmers with technologies that improve livestock health and production and, consequently, the livelihood of farmers and their communities. 

Rockwell Automation, ISAP India Foundation, and eVerse.AI are equipping farmers in the Antargaon region with technology to modernize their practices. Image used courtesy of Rockwell Automation

 

Bringing Technology to Rural Communities

The ISAP India Foundation is a non-profit organization focused on improving livelihoods in rural communities across India. Since its beginnings, the non-profit has placed particular focus on equipping farmers with technology to improve rural economic prosperity. Rockwell’s project with ISAP India Foundation and eVerse.AI started in May 2023 and has focused its efforts on modernizing dairy farming practices in the region of Antargaon in Wardha District, Maharashtra.

ISAP India Foundation's network, combined with Rockwell Automation's technical know-how and eVerse.AI's inventive, dairy-focused tech, has provided farmers with technology and support to improve farming practices. The initiative has focused on using technology to improve livestock health and production and give farmers greater support. 

 

With the use of IoT-enabled devices and generative AI, farmers can improve the health and production of their livestock. Image used courtesy of Rockwell Automation

 

Dairy Farming Modernization

The project has provided participating farmers with IoT-enabled collars that track livestock vitals and a biomarker identification system that uses a cow's muzzle pattern to identify livestock in conjunction with a 12-digit Pashu Aadhar. (Pashu Aadhar is a governmental database that digitally tracks dairy livestock using a 12-digit number printed on an ear tag.)

Farmers have also been given access to eVerse.AI’s recent development, CowGPT. Like other types of generative AI, CowGPT uses pattern recognition to aid users in optimizing their processes. The technology, however, is specifically designed for cows to improve dairy farming. CowGPT tracks livestock health, activity, and feeding to optimize production, as well as gives farmers access to learning tools and services to improve business practices. 

Additionally, farmers receive veterinarian notices and information via mobile phone as part of the project.

 

Farmers have seen a 15-20% higher milk yield over a six-month period of the project. Image used courtesy of Rockwell Automation

 

India’s Dairy Industry

According to 2023 statistics from Statista, India is the number one consumer of cow milk and the third leading cow milk producer worldwide. Despite its high production and demand, India’s annual milk production increases are, as reported by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) New Delhi, “falling short of their full potential.” 

FAS New Delhi, however, predicts that, with improvements in livestock health, genetics, and feed and greater governmental and organizational support for farmers, production can improve in 2024. 

 

Improving Production and Prosperity 

According to Rockwell, with the implementation of new technologies, participating farmers have seen an increase in milk quality and yield (15-20% higher) over six months. The ongoing project expects farmers to continue seeing improvements in their production. Rockwell Automation is hopeful that by implementing dairy farming technologies into rural communities, like those in the Wardha District, economic prosperity and livelihood will see continued improvement.