• The Union Ministry of Agriculture has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Microsoft India for a pilot project, aimed at betterment of farmers in the selected 100 villages of 6 states, by creating a vibrant digital agro-ecosystem in the country.
• To implement the project, Microsoft has joined in with its local partner, CropData.
• Besides the MoU, a tripartite agreement has also been signed for the same between the three bodies.
• The pilot project will be carried out in 100 villages in 10 districts of 6 states.
• These states are Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh.
• The project has been approved for a period of one year and both sides inking the MoU will bear the cost on their own.

Benefits of the project :

• Develop farmer interface for smart and well-organized agriculture, including post-harvest management and distribution.
• Betterment of farmers in the selected 100 villages, which will enhance their income.
• Reduce the input costs for farmers and make farming easy.