Connect with:
Monday / January 20. 2025

logo
mobile-logo
HomePosts Tagged "Digital Agriculture Mission"
Digital Technologies, E-commerce, IT, R&D

ICRISAT, in collaboration with ICAR and NAAS, hosts two-day conference on Digital Agriculture to shape strategic roadmap for the sector

ICRISAT recently held a two-day National Conference on “Digital Agriculture: Empowering Indian Farming” in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) at the A.P. Shinde Symposium Hall, New Delhi.

The conference, held from 17 to 18 December 2024, brought together a vibrant community of thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and industry stakeholders focused on charting the future course of digital agriculture in India by leveraging advancements in rural digital infrastructure.

Supported by the CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation the conference welcomed approximately 120 participants representing over 40 institutes spanning research, academia, and the private and public sectors.

In September 2024, the Government of India launched its Digital Agriculture Mission with an ambitious budget of INR 2,817 crores. This mission aims to build Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and support various initiatives, including the Agri Stack, digital crop surveys, and cyber decision support systems. The conference offered a timely platform for stakeholders to collaborate and develop a strategic roadmap for the mission’s implementation.

“To build a resilient and food-secure future, we must transcend borders and foster a global exchange of technologies, knowledge, and innovations. By collaborating as a global community, we can ensure that no farmer, regardless of location, is left behind in this digital transformation. Together, we can create an inclusive, sustainable, and adaptable agricultural ecosystem that benefits farmers globally,” stated Dr Pathak.

Dr M.L. Jat, Global Research Program Director – Resilient Farm and Food Systems, ICRISAT presented an overview of CGIAR’s digital innovations and initiatives on enhancing decision-making, bridging the digital divide, and promoting gender equity in agri-food systems.

Stressing the need for better collaboration between national and international research bodies, he advocated for alignment with the global SDGs for broader impact. Dr Jat also proposed the establishment of a Virtual Academy for Digital Agriculture, a dedicated platform for training to address the gaps in skill development among farmers and extension agents. The event laid a strong foundation for a future where Indian agriculture advances through the integration of data, AI, and smart technologies, ensuring resilience and prosperity for farming communities.

ICRISAT, in collaboration with ICAR and NAAS,

AgroPolicy, Digital Technologies, India

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

The Government of India achieved a landmark milestone in demonstrating the way forward in creating the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) under the Digital Agriculture Mission announced on the 2nd of September 2024. On 5th December 2024, Gujarat became the first State in the country to generate Farmer IDs for 25 per cent of the targeted number of farmers in the State. This breakthrough represents a significant step towards creating a comprehensive standards-driven digital agriculture ecosystem as a part of the ‘Agri Stack initiative’ of the Government of India.

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

  • Simplified and seamless access to Government schemes
  • Streamlined paperless and contactless crop loans and credit that can be processed within an hour
  • Personalised agricultural extension services tailored to the farmer’s need
  • Direct and transparent benefit transfers
  • Enhanced market connectivity
  • Improved financial inclusion

The digital identity will also serve as a transformative tool for actionable insights and informed policy making to develop innovative farmer-centric solutions, ensuring efficient agricultural service delivery and creating a digital ecosystem for agriculture transformation, aiming to improve farmers’ incomes while focusing on sustainable agriculture.

A Farmer ID is a unique digital

Agribusiness, AgroPolicy, Allied Industry, Animal Husbandry, Australia, Climate, Country, Dairy, Digital Technologies, Foodgrains, Fruits, Funding, Horticulture, India, Inputs, Interaction, Investments, Live Stock, Nature, Oilseeds, Opinions, Poultry, Pulses, R&D, Soil Health, Sustainability, Trade, Vegetables

Mr Philip Green, Australian High Commissioner calls on Secretary Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi at Krishi Bhawan New Delhi to explore platforms towards strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and allied sectors

Mr. Philip Green, the Australian High Commissioner paid a courtesy visit to Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi . The meeting provided an important platform to further strengthen the bilateral relationship between India and Australia and to explore new opportunities for collaboration in the agriculture and allied sectors.

During the meeting, Dr. Chaturvedi underscored the significance of the longstanding and multifaceted partnership between India and Australia, with particular focus on the agricultural sector. He outlined India’s current priorities in agriculture, emphasizing that the government is not only committed to ensuring food security but also to enhancing farmers’ incomes and improving nutritional security for the population. Dr. Chaturvedi highlighted key initiatives such as crop diversification, the promotion of exports, achieving self-sufficiency in oilseeds and pulses, and the strengthening of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) as vital components of India’s agricultural strategy. He also stressed the importance of technological advancements, including precision agriculture, the Digital Agriculture Mission, and the mechanization of small farms, in modernizing the sector. Additionally, he acknowledged the growing role of startups in driving innovation and transformation in agriculture.

Mr. Green, in turn, highlighted the importance of agriculture in Australia’s priorities and the potential for enhanced collaboration between the two nations. He expressed keen interest in exploring opportunities within the agritech sector and emphasized the importance of strengthening trade ties to further these objectives. Mr. Green stressed the need for continued engagement to identify and unlock new opportunities for trade and cooperation.

Both sides agreed on the importance of advancing collaboration across various areas, including agri-tech, horticulture, digital agriculture, and agricultural machinery.

Senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, representatives from ICAR, and the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs also participated in the discussion, contributing valuable insights and enriching the dialogue.

Mr Philip Green, Australian High Commissioner

Agribusiness, Agrotech, Company News, Digital Technologies, India, Start ups

By integrating physical franchise stores with a digital marketplace, Farmer’s City offers a comprehensive solution, enhancing farmers’ access to resources and technological innovations.

AVPL International’s Farmer’s City platform is poised to revolutionise India’s agricultural landscape by expanding its reach to 140 million farmers, aligning with the government’s Digital Agriculture Mission. This mission, recently approved by the government, aims to leverage digital technologies to enhance productivity, efficiency, and sustainability in India’s agricultural sector. By integrating physical franchise stores with a digital marketplace, Farmer’s City offers a comprehensive solution, enhancing farmers’ access to resources and technological innovations.

Farmer’s City combines its physical franchise stores with a robust digital marketplace, offering farmers access to a wide range of products and services, including fertilizers, pesticides, and advanced machinery. This integration provides a comprehensive solution, allowing farmers to obtain essential resources while benefiting from cutting-edge technology. With a commitment to quality, farmers can trust the platform to deliver genuine products, free from duplication or fakes. Additionally, they will have access to expert advice, enabling them to buy services at reasonable prices and sell their produce at fair rates. From the comfort of their homes, farmers can avail themselves of these services anytime, anywhere.

Preet Sandhuu, Founder & Director of AVPL International, stated, “At Farmer’s City, we envision a future where technology seamlessly integrates with traditional farming to create a new paradigm of agricultural excellence. Our approach is not merely about providing resources but about revolutionising how farmers interact with technology. Through our endeavours, we are empowering farmers with tools that enhance precision and productivity, ensuring that every field, from Haryana to Gujarat, benefits from the best in modern agricultural advancements.”

A key feature of Farmer’s City is its “Drone as a Service” (DaaS) program, which provides affordable access to advanced drone technology for crop monitoring, precision spraying, and data collection. This service, already implemented in collaboration with Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in Haryana, is helping farmers with crops such as cotton and sugarcane. The use of drones is transforming traditional farming practices, enhancing efficiency, and improving crop yields.

Farmer’s City is also preparing to launch new retail stores in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat. These stores will act as local centres for farmer training, supply transactions, and the introduction of modern agricultural technologies. This expansion aims to broaden the reach of Farmer’s City’s services, ensuring more farmers benefit from its advanced solutions.

Launched in August 2024, Farmer’s City aligns with India’s broader goal of extending the digital revolution to agriculture. By integrating digital platforms and advanced technologies, AVPL International is contributing to the transformation of the agricultural sector and helping to solidify India’s position as a global leader in technology-driven solutions for critical economic sectors.

By integrating physical franchise stores with a

AgroPolicy, Agrotech, Digital Technologies, Finance, India

The Mission 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).

The Union Cabinet Committee chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Digital Agriculture Mission with an outlay of Rs. 2817 Crore, including the central share of Rs. 1940 Crore. The Mission 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.

For a transformation of the Agriculture Sector, the government announced the building of Digital Public Infrastructure for agriculture in the Union Budget 2023-24. Further, in the Budget 2024-25, the augmentation of the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) initiative for the agricultural sector has also been announced. The Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for Agriculture aims to provide comprehensive and useful data on farmers comprising of authenticated demographic details, land holdings and crops sown. It will include cultivators & tenant farmers, as per the policy of the State Government. It would also connect to relevant Digital Public Infrastructure of the State Governments and Ministries of the Government of India to use data of farmers on livestock, fisheries, soil health, other vocations, family details and schemes and benefits availed, leading to innovative farmer-centric digital services in the agriculture sector. Aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, the DPI for Agriculture forms the core of the Digital Agriculture Mission.

 The three DPIs to be built under the Mission are Agristack, Krishi Decision Support System, and Soil Profile Mapping. Besides enabling farmer-centric digital services, these DPIs will make timely and reliable information available for the agriculture sector.

AgriStack is a farmer-centric DPI that will enable efficient, easier, and faster services and scheme delivery to farmers. It is being built in a federated structure as a collaborative project between the various agencies of the Central and State Governments

The Krishi Decision Support System will create a comprehensive geospatial system to unify remote sensing-based information on Crops, Soil, Weather, water resources, etc.

Under the Mission, detailed Soil Profile Mapson a 1:10,000 scale of about 142 million ha of the country’s agricultural land is envisaged to be completed. A detailed soil profile inventory of about 29 million ha has already been completed.

The Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES) will provide yield estimates based on scientifically designed crop-cutting experiments. This initiative will prove very useful in making accurate estimates of agricultural production.

The Mission is conceived as an umbrella

AgroPolicy, Finance, Schemes - Govt

 The schemes include Digital Agriculture Mission, Crop science for food, Sustainable livestock health and production, Strengthening Agricultural Education, Sustainable development of Horticulture and Strengthening of Krishi Vigyan Kendra.

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi approved seven schemes to improve farmers’ lives and increase their incomes at a total outlay of Rs 14,235.30 Crore.

1. Digital Agriculture Mission: based on the structure of Digital Public Infrastructure, Digital Agriculture Mission will use technology for improving farmers’ lives. The Mission has a total outlay of Rs 2.817 crores. It comprises two foundational pillars.

 Agri Stack

Farmers registry

Village land maps registry

Crop Sown Registry

 Krishi Decision Support System

Geospatial data

Drought/flood monitoring

Weather/satellite data

Groundwater/water availability data

Modelling for crop yield and insurance

 The Mission has provision for

Soil profile

Digital crop estimation

Digital yield modelling

Connect for crop loan

Modern technologies like AI and Big Data

Connect with buyers

Bring new knowledge on mobile phones

2. Crop science for food and nutritional security: with a total outlay of Rs 3,979 crore. The initiative will prepare farmers for climate resilience and provide for food security by 2047. It has following pillars:

Research and education

Plant genetic resource management

Genetic improvement for food and fodder crop

Pulse and oilseed crop improvement

Improvement of commercial crops

Research on insects, microbes, pollinators etc.

3. Strengthening Agricultural Education, Management and Social Sciences: with a total outlay of Rs 2,291 Crore the measure will prepare agriculture students and researchers for current challenges and comprises the following:

Under Indian Council of Agri Research

Modernising agri research and education

In line with New Education Policy 2020

Use latest technology … Digital DPI, AI, big data, remote, etc

Include natural farming and climate resilience

4. Sustainable livestock health and production: with a total outlay of Rs 1,702 crore, the decision aims to Increase farmers income from livestock and dairy. It comprises the following

Animal health management and veterinary education

Dairy production and technology development

Animal genetic resource management, production and improvement

Animal nutrition and small ruminant production and development

5. Sustainable development of Horticulture: with a total outlay of Rs 1129.30 crore the measure is aimed at increasing farmers’ income from horticulture plants. It comprises the following

Tropical, sub-tropical and temperate horticulture crops

Root, tuber, bulbous and arid crops

Vegetable, floriculture, and mushroom crops

 Plantation, spices, medicinal, and aromatic plants

6. Strengthening of Krishi Vigyan Kendra with an outlay of Rs 1,202 crore

7. Natural Resource Management with an outlay of Rs 1,115 crore.

 The schemes include Digital Agriculture Mission, Crop

AgroPolicy, India, R&D

Union Agriculture Minister chairs the National Conference on Agriculture for Zaid Campaign-2023

Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister chaired the National Conference on Agriculture for Zaid (Summer) Campaign-2023 in New Delhi. On this occasion, Tomar said that India is in a very good position in terms of food grains production and this has been achieved due to the farmer-friendly policies of the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, tireless hard work of farmers and novel research by agricultural scientists. But at the stage where India is today, we cannot sit on our laurels, production should be scaled and on the basis of minute planning, such meaningful results should come out so that in the Agriculture sector, besides meeting the continuous supply of our domestic needs, we can successfully fulfil the world supply demands.

Tomar said that everyone should consider adopting other available alternatives to chemical fertilizers, – nano urea and biofertilizer. About 2.5 lakh crore rupees are being incurred annually on fertilizer subsidies. Apart from saving this amount, healthy products can be done and individual health can be ensured. Due to awareness campaigns, the cultivation area under organic and natural farming is increasing. States should focus on the progress of small farmers through measures like Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi launched by Prime Minister Modi. Krishi Vigyan Kendra and ATMA should work together at the district level to bring about rejuvenation, the State Governments should draw their annual plans for the Agriculture sector and consider how they can make good use of the Central Government schemes for the interest of the farmers. Agriculture and allied Departments/Ministries and States together make up Team India, which should further strengthen the Agriculture sector. He said that Summer Crops are important, which also helps in increasing the income of small farmers. Tomar said that the benefits of the schemes should reach the small farmers by making proper use of the Government funds. The government is also working on the Digital Agriculture Mission, in which cooperation of the States is necessary.

Union Agriculture Minister chairs the National Conference