Digital Agri Mission, Key Components, Benefits and Significance

Context: The Centre is set to announce big-ticket initiatives as part of its first 100-day agenda, which includes a Rs 2,800 crore Digital Agriculture Mission.

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• With a budgetary allocation of Rs 2,800 crore, this mission will be rolled out over the next two years, concluding by 2025-26.
• Initially planned for launch in 2021-22, the mission faced delays due to the Covid-19 outbreak but is now set for a nationwide rollout.
• Pilot Projects: Pilot projects have been undertaken across six districts: Farrukhabad (Uttar Pradesh), Beed (Maharashtra), Gandhinagar (Gujarat), Fatehgarh Sahib (Punjab), and Virudhunagar (Tamil Nadu).

Key Components of the Digital Agri Mission

Farmers’ Registry

• Unique Farmer ID: One of the core components of the mission is the creation of a farmers’ registry, where each farmer will receive a unique ID.
• Progress in States:
  • Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra have already started generating unique farmer IDs.
  • In Farrukhabad, UP, over 1.5 lakh farmers have been assigned unique IDs.

Benefits of the Unique Farmer ID

• Access to Government Schemes: Farmers will be able to avail of various government schemes such as PM-Kisan and Fasal Bima Yojana through their unique ID.
• Financial Services: The unique ID will also facilitate access to financial services like farm loans and insurance.
• Value-Added Services: The unique ID will enable the launch of new value-added services tailored for farmers.

Crop Sown Registry

• Detailed Crop Records: The mission envisages the creation of a crop sown registry, which will maintain records of crops sown by farmers on their lands.
• Better Planning and Estimation: This registry will aid in better planning and estimation of crop production, enabling more accurate agricultural forecasting and resource allocation.

Georeferencing of Village Maps

• Enhanced Mapping: The mission includes georeferencing village maps, which will provide precise agricultural data and improve land management practices.

Significance of Digital Agri Mission

• The mission aims to transform Indian agriculture into a digitally empowered sector.
• It supports sustainable agriculture practices and improves farmers’ incomes.
• It is part of the government’s broader push to strengthen the rural and agricultural sectors.

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