Context: Recently, The Union Cabinet has approved the Rs 2,817-crore Digital Agriculture Mission for the creation of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in the farm sector. 

• The Digital Agriculture Mission is an initiative by the Indian government aimed at transforming the way farming is done by using technology. This mission focuses on integrating digital tools like data analytics, mobile apps, and drones into agriculture to make farming more efficient and productive. 

• By bringing technology to the fields, the mission helps farmers access real-time information on weather, crop health, and market prices, allowing them to make better decisions. 

• The goal is to modernize agriculture, increase yields, and improve the livelihoods of farmers across the country.

Digital Agri Mission

• Objective: The Digital Agri Mission is designed to promote and expedite the adoption of digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain, remote sensing, robotics, and drones in agriculture. 

• Key Features: 

• Farmers Registry: 

• Purpose: Establishment of a nationwide registry that assigns a unique ID to every farmer. 

• Current Implementation: States like Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra have already initiated the generation of these IDs. 

• Significance: The unique farmer ID will enable access to various government schemes, such as PM-Kisan and Fasal Bima Yojana, as well as financial services like farm loans and insurance. 

• Crop Sown Registry: 

• Purpose: Development of a registry documenting the crops sown by farmers on their land. 

• Significance: This registry will facilitate improved planning and crop production estimation. 

• India Digital Ecosystem of Agriculture (IDEA): 

• Framework: The Department is finalising the creation of an “Agristack,” a digital foundation for developing innovative agri-focused solutions. 

• Unified Farmers Service Interface (UFSI): 

• Purpose: Creation of a unified platform offering farmers access to services such as weather updates, market prices, and agro-advisory. 

• Funding to States for New Technology (NeGPA): 

• Implementation: Financial assistance provided to states and union territories for projects integrating advanced technologies like AI, blockchain, IoT, and robotics. 

• Revamping Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre (MNCFC): 

• Objective: Enhancement of crop forecasting capabilities through technological advancements. 

• Soil Health, Fertility, and Profile Mapping: 

• Objective: Utilisation of digital tools to evaluate soil health and fertility. 

• Timeline: 

• The Mission will be implemented over the next two years, concluding in 2025-26. 

• Pilot Projects: 

• Pilot initiatives have been launched in six districts: Farrukhabad (Uttar Pradesh), Beed (Maharashtra), Gandhinagar (Gujarat), Fatehgarh Sahib (Punjab), and Virudhunagar (Tamil Nadu). 

• Benefits: 

• Inclusivity and Accessibility: The Aadhaar system has provided a unique identity to over 1.3 billion Indians, enabling them to access various government services and subsidies efficiently. 

• Economic Growth: The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) system has transformed financial transactions in India, simplifying digital payments for small businesses and individuals, thus boosting economic growth. 

• Efficiency and Transparency: The Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system has significantly minimised leakages in welfare schemes by directly ensuring that subsidies reach the intended beneficiaries, enhancing transparency. 

Issues with Agri-Tech in India: 

• Limited Digital Literacy: A significant number of farmers lack the necessary skills and access to effectively utilise agri-tech solutions. 

• High Upfront Costs: The substantial initial investment required for agri-tech solutions poses a barrier, particularly for small-scale farmers. 

• Fragmented Land Holdings: The prevalence of small and fragmented land holdings complicates the implementation of large-scale mechanisation. 

• Limited Infrastructure: Inadequate access to essential infrastructure such as electricity and internet services hampers the widespread adoption of agri-tech. 

• Inadequate Government Policies: Inconsistencies and poor implementation of government policies reduce the effectiveness of agri-tech initiatives. 

• Lack of Collaboration: Limited cooperation among farmers, the private sector, and the government restricts the development of effective agri-tech solutions. 

• Limited Market Access: Challenges in accessing markets and obtaining market information hinder the adoption of agri-tech innovations. 

• Drone Regulation Issues: Privacy concerns arise due to the advanced sensors and cameras equipped on drones, affecting their regulation and usage in agriculture. 

Digital Public Infrastructure in the Agriculture Sector

• Objective: The Digital Agriculture Mission seeks to establish a comprehensive Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in the agriculture sector, analogous to successful e-governance initiatives in India like Aadhaar, DigiLocker, UPI, and electronic health records. 

• AgriStack: 

• Foundation: AgriStack forms the basic IT infrastructure under the Mission, consisting of three primary agri-sector registries or databases: 

• Farmers’ Registry: Farmers will be assigned a digital identity, termed ‘Farmer ID,’ akin to Aadhaar, linked to records such as land ownership, livestock, crops, demographics, and benefits availed. 

• Target: The government plans to issue digital identities to 11 crore farmers, with coverage expected to reach 6 crore by 2024-25, 3 crore by 2025-26, and the remaining 2 crore by 2026-27. 

• Crop Sown Registry: This registry will document the crops sown by farmers, leveraging data from Digital Crop Surveys conducted each season. 

• Geo-referenced Village Maps:  These maps will connect geographic land records with their physical locations. 

Krishi Decision Support System (DSS)

• Functionality: Krishi DSS is a geospatial platform that integrates remote sensing data on crops, soil, weather, and water resources, enabling crop mapping, drought and flood monitoring, yield assessments, and crop insurance claim processing. 

Soil Profile Maps

• Scope: The Mission aims to prepare detailed Soil Profile Maps (on a 1:10,000 scale) for approximately 142 million hectares of agricultural land, with 29 million hectares already completed.