Page 12 - Think Grain Think Feed - April 2024

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Transforming Shrimp farming:
The IoT Advantage
By Twisha Upadhyay, Eruvaka Technologies
Twisha Upadhyay
Twisha is dedicated to harnessing technology to
transform agriculture and uplift farmers. Currently, she
holds the position of Head of Marketing and New
Products at Eruvaka Technologies. With a farming
background, she brings eight years of expertise in
Agritech to her role.
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streamlines processes,
sludge formation
valuable addition to a
allowing farmers to boost
decreases.
balanced diet. The demand
for shrimp has been steadily
FCR (Feed Conversion Ratio),
increasing and is projected
Unlike land-based farming,
and ultimately slash
to continue growing in the biomass per hectare, lower Acoustic feeders
shrimp grows underwater.
future. Due to its numerous production expenses. What happens underwater is
benefits shrimp stands as Addressing Farmer Risk a black box for the farmer. In
one of the most valuable Associated with Diseases traditional farming, the farmer
traded marine products. Utilizing technology for decides how much feed to
Success in shrimp farming enhanced monitoring and dispense. With super-
will serve as a major control of shrimp culture intelligent acoustic sensors,
contributor to ensuring food results in increased growth hydrophones detect shrimp
and nutrition security. rates, higher survival rates, sounds and use these sounds
Risks in shrimp farming and strengthened biosecurity. to develop algorithms that
Shrimp farming comes with By continuously monitoring create feeding advice. Using
its own set of risks and taking proactive acoustic feeders, the shrimp
throughout the value chain, measures based on data decides how much feed
but it's the farmer who insights, the occurrence of needs to be dispensed based
shoulders the greatest risk. diseases can be significantly on its appetite rather than
From volatile market prices minimized. the farmer deciding the
to the threat of diseases, Technology products that same. This leads to
crop failure, poor seed are transforming significantly reduced FCRs
quality, escalating aquaculture for the farmer.
production costs, limited Automatic feeders Continuous water quality
access to credit, and Shrimps grow optimally when monitoring systems
sustainability challenges, the
Good water quality is
they are fed a controlled
farmer navigates a complex quantity of feed frequently. paramount for shrimp growth
landscape of uncertainties. To
and health. Maintaining the
Automatic enables this
ensure the success of shrimp requirement. As the feed is right amount of dissolved
farming, it's imperative to dispensed frequently and in oxygen is essential for shrimp
empower the farmers who survival and optimum growth.
small quantities, there is
bear the brunt of these risks. minimal feed wastage. This The ammonia, pH, and salinity
Based on projections gathered Spotlight on shrimp Among the challenges they has a five-fold benefit. levels in the water must be at
by the Food and Agriculture Within aquaculture, shrimp will be crucial in face, fluctuating prices and the right levels to ensure
1. Shrimp growth and
Organization (FAO), it is ensuring food and nutrition security. It is a disease outbreaks pose the good shrimp health. Real-
survival improve as
anticipated that by the year relatively efficient source of protein. Feed most risk. time water quality
shrimps always have
2050, food production will be Conversion Ratio (FCR) is the ratio of feed Mitigating shrimp farmer access to fresh feed. monitoring devices
required to increase by 60% to intake to the weight gained by an animal. risk using technology continuously monitor
adequately nourish a global Feed Conversion Ratios (FCRs) usually range Reducing Farmer Risk Amid 2. Due to improved shrimp essential water quality
population of 9.3 billion. In the from 3.0 to 5.0 for pigs, 1.7 to 2.0 for chicken, Fluctuating Shrimp Prices growth, the number of parameters and alert the
coming decade, as global food and 1.0 to 1.7 for farmed shrimp. In the best- days of culture decreases. farmer in case any parameter
In the face of fluctuating
systems work to accommodate case scenario, if it takes 2 kg of feed to 3. FCRs decrease and crosses the critical level. This
shrimp prices, farmers often farmers save
the needs of an expanding produce 1 kg of chicken, then only 1 kg of helps the farmer in ensuring
face uncertainty about their
global population, it becomes feed is needed to produce 1 kg of shrimp. considerably on feed good crop health and de-
profitability. However, costs.
increasingly imperative to give This is 100% feed conversion efficiency. technology emerges as a risks them from any sudden
greater consideration to the Moreover, besides being an outstanding 4. Water quality does not crop wipe-outs.
crucial ally, enabling them to
aquatic dimension. Aquaculture protein source, shrimp is rich in essential deteriorate as there is no
mitigate the impact of price Applications for farm
is set to play a key role in excess feed rotting in
minerals such as iron, manganese, management
volatility by cutting
ensuring food and nutrition phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and more. water.
production costs. By The data from all the sensors
security. It also boasts antioxidants that bolster 5. The pond bottom
fostering operational serves as great fuel for
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