Cabinet Approves Digital Agriculture Mission with Rs. 2817 Crore Outlay

The Digital Agriculture Mission will develop three core Digital Public Infrastructures: Agristack, the Krishi Decision Support System, and Soil Profile Mapping.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the Digital Agriculture Mission with a budget allocation of Rs. 2817 Crore, including a central share of Rs. 1940 Crore. This initiative is designed as an umbrella scheme to support various digital agriculture projects, such as the creation of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), the implementation of the Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES), and other IT-driven initiatives by central and state governments, as well as academic and research institutions.

India’s digital revolution has already transformed sectors like finance, healthcare, education, and retail by providing digital identities, secure payments, and efficient transactions. Building on this momentum, the government is now set to revolutionize the agricultural sector through the Digital Agriculture Mission. Announced in the Union Budgets of 2023-24 and 2024-25, the DPI for Agriculture aims to offer comprehensive and reliable data on farmers, including demographic details, land holdings, and crop patterns. It will also integrate with state and central government infrastructures to provide data on livestock, fisheries, soil health, and other relevant areas, fostering innovative, farmer-centric digital services.

The Digital Agriculture Mission will develop three core Digital Public Infrastructures: Agristack, the Krishi Decision Support System, and Soil Profile Mapping. These infrastructures will enable timely and accurate information for the agriculture sector, improving service delivery to farmers.

Agristack, a key component, will create a digital identity (Farmer ID) for farmers, linking it to state land records, livestock ownership, crop details, and more. This will streamline access to government schemes and services, including crop loans and personalized advisories. Pilot projects for Farmer IDs have already been conducted in six states, and the initiative aims to create digital identities for 11 crore farmers by 2027.

The Krishi Decision Support System will unify data from remote sensing, weather, soil, and water resources to support crop mapping, drought and flood monitoring, and yield assessment. Additionally, detailed soil profile maps for 142 million hectares of agricultural land will be created, with 29 million hectares already mapped.

The Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES) will provide accurate yield estimates, aiding in agricultural production forecasting. The mission is expected to generate significant employment opportunities, particularly through digital crop surveys and remote sensing data collection, benefiting approximately 2.5 lakh trained local youth and Krishi Sakhis.

Ultimately, the mission aims to enhance efficiency and transparency in service delivery for farmers, leveraging modern technologies such as AI, data analytics, and remote sensing. This will not only simplify farmers' access to benefits but also enable the government to make schemes more effective, supporting crop diversification, irrigation planning, and balanced fertilizer use. The DPI developed under the mission will also help establish efficient value chains and provide customized advisory services to farmers, ensuring they receive timely and accurate guidance.