Digital Transformation in Indian Agriculture
The Indian agricultural sector is witnessing a digital transformation underpinned by the Digital Agriculture Mission with a government outlay of 2817 crore. The mission aims at building robust public digital infrastructure and enabling farmers to avail ICT based tools for the optimization of agriculture productivity improvement and enhancement of socioeconomic outcomes.
Definition
Digital agriculture involves Information and Communication Technologies ICT and data ecosystems in farming for profitability sustainability and food security.
- Technologies Involved
- Remote sensing GIS AI IoT robotics drones and blockchain.
- Data analytics and modeling for precision farming and forecasting.
Why Does Indian Agriculture Need Digitisation?
- Increasing Productivity
- Precision farming maximizes the usage of resources like fertilizers, water and pesticides.
- IoT and satellite based systems track crop and weather patterns thereby improving decision making.
- Cost Saving
- ICT tools reduce dependency on traditional methods and save on input costs.
- Soil sensors and digital advisories help prevent overuse of agrochemicals.
- Remote sensing helps monitor soil health and water availability.
- Water conservation practices that are efficient can be supported in drought prone areas.
- Socio Economic Upliftment
- Digital platforms such as eNAM links farmers directly to buyers.
- Knowledge sharing tools enable rural communities to adopt best practices and enhance incomes and yields.
- Financial Inclusion
- Credit insurance and subsidies are accessed more efficiently through digital systems.
- The PM KISAN scheme has already transferred substantial amounts through Direct Benefit Transfer DBT.
- Increased Traceability and Quality Standards
- Blockchain technology helps ensure transparency in the supply chain reducing post harvest losses and ensuring food safety.
- Increased Data Collection
- Drones and satellites help collect data in realtime which helps improve decisionmaking for farm management.
What is the Digital Agriculture Mission?
Launched in September 2024 to establish Digital Public Infrastructure DPI for agriculture.
Key Features
- Farmer IDs
- Digital identities for 11 crore farmers by 2026- 27 with data collected via mobile surveys.
- Krishi Decision Support System
- Unifies data on crops soil and weather for efficient agricultural planning.
- Crop Surveys
- DGCES of yield estimates for 2024-25 Krishi Sakhis Trained women certified as Paraextension Workers for rural agriculture.
Other Government Initiatives for Digital Agriculture
- National eGovernance Plan in Agriculture (NeGPA)
- Promoting the use of ICTs among rural farmers.
- Unified Farmer Service Platform (UFSP)
- Ensures interoperability between public and private agritech systems.
- Farmers Database
- Tracks scheme benefits and supports precision farming.
- BharatNet
- Connects rural India with broadband internet for access to digital resources.
- NAMO Drone Didi Scheme
- Trains women in drone technology for agricultural applications.
- Mobile Applications
- Tools like Kisan Suvidha App and Agri Market App provide market rates weather forecasts and technical advice.
Challenges in Digitising Agriculture
- High Initial Costs
- Advanced tools like drones and sensors are expensive making adoption difficult for smallscale farmers.
- Small Land Holdings
- Limited land sizes hinder the scalability of digital solutions in rural regions.
- Digital Literacy
- Rural illiteracy and lack of training hinder the effective use of ICT tools.
- Infrastructure Gaps
- Internet connectivity is bad and power supply is inconsistent which hinders digital adoption.
- Limited Financial Access
- Small farmers face a challenge in accessing credit to invest in digitization.
- Data Security Concerns
- Privacy and security of farmer data are necessary to establish trust in digital systems.
- Challenges in Integrating
- Data Diversity in Indian agriculture makes it difficult to integrate crop climate and soil data.
The Road Ahead for Digitalising Indian Agriculture End
Building Infrastructure Broadband access and mobile connectivity must be expanded in rural areas
Satellite imaging and land mapping investments.
- PublicPrivate Partnerships
- It should engage with technology startups FPOs and private firms It needs to encourage group buys of digital technologies to make them affordable to smallscale farmers.
- Facilitating Increased Access to Finance
- It introduces low interest loans and microfinancing initiatives specifically designed for digital agriculture investments.
- Capacity Building
- Government led training programs will be conducted to promote digital literacy among the people.
- Extension officers will be given training to ensure that farmers begin using ICT.
- Data Protection
- Development of strong policies for data protection.
- Transparent usage of data with the approval of the farmers.
UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)
Prelims
Q. What is/are the advantage/advantages of implementing the ‘National Agriculture Market’ scheme? (2017)
- It is a pan-India electronic trading portal for agricultural commodities.
- It provides the farmers access to nationwide market, with prices commensurate with the quality of their produce.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (c)
Mains
Q. How is science interwoven deeply with our lives? What are the striking changes in agriculture triggered off by science-based technologies? (2020)
