Digital Agriculture Mission

General Studies Paper-3

Context: Recently, the Union Cabinet Committee approved the Digital Agriculture Mission with an outlay of Rs. 2817 Crore, including the central share of Rs. 1940 Crore.

About the Digital Agriculture Mission

• It aims to nurture agri-tech start-ups by harnessing cutting-edge advancements in cloud computing, earth observation, remote sensing, data analytics, and artificial intelligence/machine learning models.
• It is conceived as an umbrella scheme to support digital agriculture initiatives, such as creating Digital Public Infrastructure, implementing the Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES), and taking up other IT initiatives by the Central Government, State Governments, and Academic and Research Institutions.

Mission’s Roots

• At its core, DAM seeks to transform India’s agricultural landscape by infusing it with digital nutrients.
• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for Agriculture: It aims to provide authenticated demographic details, land holdings, and crop information for cultivators and tenant farmers.
• It’s like giving each farmer a digital identity (akin to Aadhaar) – a trusted ‘Kisan ki Pehchaan’ (a digital Farmer ID) – while connecting them to relevant state and central government databases.
• This data-driven approach promises innovative, farmer-centric services.

Three Pillars of Digital Agriculture Mission

• 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.

Significances of Digital Agriculture Mission

• Efficient Services: Farmers will access services and schemes faster, like a well-timed monsoon shower.
• Data-Driven Insights: AI-powered crop predictions and personalised advice are helpful for better interventions and future policy support.
• Inclusive Growth and Employment: It is aiming to have a catalytic effect in creating both direct and indirect employment in the agriculture sector, and is expected to provide employment opportunities to about 2.5 lakh trained local youth and Krishi Sakhis.
• Resilience: When pests strike or drought looms, DAM will be the farmer’s digital scarecrow, alerting them in advance.

Conclusion

• As the sun rises on DAM, India’s agri-tech landscape blossoms. It’s not just about bytes and algorithms; it’s about nurturing the roots that feed our nation.
• Digital Agriculture Mission aligns with this grand vision – nurturing a developed India by 2047 (Viksit Bharat@2047).