Farmers can soon use microchips to save trees

Come March 2021, farmers in Mysuru district can use technology to protect sandalwood trees from smugglers and timber mafia. By inserting sensor-based microchips in trees, farmers can monitor its growth and any attempt to steal them. Once installed and linked to smartphones, these chips will also send SOS messages to forest department officials and local police.

These smart chips are being jointly developed by the Bengaluru-based Institute of Wood Science and Technology and Hitachi India Pvt Limited. Forest department officials said they have got positive feedback from farmers in Raichur and Tamil Nadu who have installed these chips on experimental basis.

It is still in the trial stage. Once approved, it will be available for farmers. These chips will have to be inserted 1.5 meter inside the trees and connected to phones,” said KC Prashant Kumar, deputy conservator of forests, Mysuru.