Context: Gujarat became the first State in the country to generate Farmer IDs for 25% of the targeted number of farmers in the State. 
Madhya Pradesh (9%), Maharashtra (2%), and other states like Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Rajasthan have also initiated the process of generating farmer IDs.

Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for Agriculture

• DPI for Agriculture aims to provide comprehensive and useful data on farmers consisting of authenticated demographic details, land holdings and crops sown. 

• It will include cultivators & tenant farmers, as per the policy of the State Government. 

• It is a transformative approach to digital governance, underpinned by the following principles:

• Interoperability: Seamless integration with central and state government platforms.

• Open Standards: Ensuring widespread adoption and accessibility.

• Scalability: Designed to serve farmers across the country.

• Robust Governance: Data security and privacy frameworks ensure trust and transparency.

Three Pillars DPIs

• Agristack: The farmer’s digital toolbox. It’s a federated structure, collaboratively built by various agencies of both central and state governments. Agristack houses three foundational registries:

• Farmers’ Registry: A virtual farmer directory.

• Geo-referenced Village Maps: For every village, with crop details overlaid.

• Crop Sown Registry: A digital ledger of what’s sprouting where.

• Krishi Decision Support System: It provides timely and reliable information to farmers, helping them make informed decisions.

• It aims to create a comprehensive geospatial system to unify remote sensing-based information on crops, Soil, Weather, water resources, etc.

• Soil Profile Mapping: It maps soil properties, moisture levels, and nutrient content, empowering precision agriculture.

About the Farmer ID

• A Farmer ID is a unique digital identity of farmers based on Aadhaar, linked dynamically to the State’s land records system.

• This means the Farmer ID gets automatically updated with the changes in the land record details of an individual farmer. 

• The Farmer ID, along with the crop sown data being captured digitally under the Digital Agriculture Mission, is intended to provide the following farmer-centric benefits:

1. Simplified and seamless access to government schemes.

2. Streamlined paperless and contactless crop loans and credit that can be processed within an hour

3. Personalised agricultural extension services tailored to the farmer’s need.

4. Direct and transparent benefit transfers.

5. Enhanced market connectivity & improved financial inclusion

• This breakthrough represents a significant step towards creating a comprehensive standards-driven digital agriculture ecosystem as a part of the ‘Agri Stack initiative’.

About Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM)

• DAM is designed as an umbrella scheme to support various digital agriculture initiatives. These include:

• Creating Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), implementing the Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES), and supporting IT initiatives by the Central Government, State Governments, etc.

• The scheme is built on two foundational pillars:

• Agri Stack: Comprising Farmers' Registry, Geo-referenced village maps & Crop Sown Registry.

• Krishi Decision Support System: Integrates remote sensing data into a comprehensive geospatial system to provide real-time information.

Challenges

• Digital Divide: Farmers in remote areas face difficulties due to limited internet access and digital literacy.

• Data Privacy: Robust safeguards are needed to protect sensitive farmer data.

• Inter-State Coordination: Uniform implementation across states requires cooperation and resource-sharing mechanisms.

Solutions

• Strengthen digital infrastructure in rural areas.

• Launch capacity-building programs to improve digital literacy among farmers.

• Implement strong governance frameworks to ensure data security and privacy.

Conclusion

• The Digital Public Infrastructure for Agriculture aligns with India’s vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, aiming to create a sustainable and inclusive agricultural ecosystem.  By leveraging advanced technologies and farmer-centric approaches, DPI will enhance agricultural productivity, improve farmers’ incomes, and ensure food security.