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Source- This post on Digital Agriculture Mission has been created based on the article “Cabinet approves the Digital Agriculture Mission today with an outlay of Rs. 2817 Crore, including the central share of Rs. 1940 Crore“ published in “PIB” on 3rd September 2024.
Why in News?
The Union Cabinet Committee recently approved the Digital Agriculture Mission.
About Digital Agriculture Mission
| Aspects | Description |
| About | 1. The Digital Agriculture Mission is an umbrella scheme supporting digital agriculture initiatives in India. 2. It focuses on developing Digital Public Infrastructure, implementing the Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES), and advancing IT projects by government bodies and research institutions. 3. It is aligned with the “Viksit Bharat@2047” vision. 4. It aims to create a sustainable and digitally empowered agriculture sector. |
| Aim | It aims to create Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for agriculture, facilitating data-driven decision-making and digital services for farmers. |
| Components of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) | 1. AgriStack: A comprehensive digital platform to provide efficient, faster, and easier services to farmers. It includes three foundational registries: the Farmers’ Registry, Geo-referenced village maps, and the Crop Sown Registry. 2. Krishi Decision Support System (Krishi-DSS): A geospatial system that integrates data on crops, soil, weather, and water resources to support decision-making in agriculture. 3. Soil Profile Mapping: Detailed soil profile mapping at a 1:10,000 scale covering approximately 142 million hectares of agricultural land in India. |
| Digital Identity for Farmers | 1. Under AgriStack, a digital identity (Farmer ID) will be provided to farmers, similar to Aadhaar, called ‘Kisan ki Pehchaan’. 2. This ID will link dynamically to various data points such as land records, livestock ownership, crops sown, and demographic details. |
| Benefits for Farmers and Stakeholders | 1. Farmers can access services and schemes digitally, reducing the need for physical visits to government offices and minimizing paperwork. 2. The digital infrastructure will facilitate efficient service delivery mechanisms, such as paperless MSP-based procurement, crop insurance, credit-linked crop loans, and balanced fertilizer use. 3. The Digital Agriculture Mission will enable the development of efficient value chains for agricultural inputs and post-harvest processes. 4. The mission is expected to generate both direct and indirect employment in the agriculture sector. |
About Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES)
1. The Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES) is a nationwide effort to accurately measure crop yields for various crops in India.
2. It is a component of the Digital Agriculture Mission which seeks to establish a strong Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for the agriculture sector.
3. It aims to make reliable agricultural production estimates, supporting policy formulation and resource allocation.
4. The DGCES will provide accurate yield estimates using scientifically designed crop-cutting experiments.
UPSC Syllabus: Indian Economy
