List of Schemes Promoting Digitalisation in Indian Agriculture
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Meaning of Digitisation in Agriculture
- Components of Digitalisation in Agriculture
- Benefits of Digitalisation in Indian Agriculture
- Schemes Promoting Digital Agriculture in India
Introduction
The use of digital technology across the sectors of Indian economy has increased and Indian agriculture sector is no different. With the help of Indian government, Indian agriculture sector is fast adopting digital technology to increase the farm productivity. The Indian government has launched various digitalisation related schemes to transform the agriculture sector. But before we discuss the schemes, let us understand the meaning of digitalisation of Indian agriculture.
Meaning of Digitalisation in Agriculture
Digitalisation in agriculture means the incorporation of digital technology to enhance the productivity of agriculture and make it sustainable. It involves the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, drones, etc to make farming simpler for the Indian farmers. The other name for digitalisation of Indian agriculture is digital agriculture or Smart Farming, which integrates the digital tools and modern technology into different aspects of agricultural process.
Components of Digitalisation in Agriculture
The key components of digitalisation in agriculture include:
- Data Collection
- Data Analysis
- Precision Farming
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Remote Sensing
- Market Access
Benefits of Digitalisation of Indian Agriculture
- The increased use of digital technology helps enhance decision-making, sustainability, productivity, and efficiency.
- It also improves the agricultural ecosystem by optimising farming practices using sensors, automation, data analysis, and digital devices.
- It facilitates real-time monitoring of various aspects of agriculture processes such as soil health, weather patterns, and water usage.
- It enables farmers to take well-informed decisions by enabling them to access accurate and timely information on market prices, weather forecasts, pest outbreaks, etc.
- The use of data-driven approach in agriculture processes enables farmers to adopt sustainable practices that conserve vital resources like water and arable land.
- It has opened a range of employment opportunities for skilled professionals in Indian agriculture in the areas of data analysis, IoT (Internet of Things), etc.
Schemes Promoting Digital Agriculture in India
The Committee on Doubling Farmers’ Income (DFI) agrees that digital technology can effectively modernise and organise the agricultural activities of rural India. Thus, Indian government has launched several initiatives for promotion of digitalisation in Indian agriculture. These schemes include:
Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM)
The Digital Agriculture Mission 2021–2025 was launched in September 2021. As part of this initiative, the Indian government signed five Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs).
The MoUs were signed with NCDEX e-Markets Limited (NeML), ITC Limited, Jio Platforms Limited, Ninjacart and CISCO.
The aim is to facilitate digital agriculture via pilot projects involving new technologies such as drones, robots, GIS, and AI, among others.
Kisan Drone Scheme
The scheme was launched in 2022 under the Sub-Mission on Agriculture Mechanisation. The aim is to incorporate drones for agriculture tasks like spraying pesticides and transporting agriculture produce. The goal is to empower farmers and double their incomes.
Under the Kisan Drone Scheme, the government provides a subsidy ranging from 40% to 100% to individual farmers, FPOs, Universities and Research Organisations, Custom Hiring Centres, and Small and Marginal Farmers of Northeast States.
Drone Didi Scheme
The NaMo Drone Didi Scheme was launched in March 2024. It seeks to empower women by equipping 15,000 women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs) with agricultural drones.
Under the scheme women will be trained to become drone pilots and use it for agriculture purposes like spraying fertilisers, crop monitoring, and sowing seeds.
National e-Governance Plan in Agriculture (NeGPA)
The NeGPA facilitates using information and communication technology (ICT) to improve agriculture governance and service delivery.
Through digital tools, it aims to establish a seamless information flow between farmers and the government. It enhances efficiency in subsidy distribution, crop insurance, and market access.
National Agriculture Market (e-NAM)
The eNAM platform is a game-changer for Indian farmers. Launched in 2016, it connects existing APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) markets through a unified online platform.
Farmers can showcase their produce to buyers across the country. It enables fair price discovery and eliminates intermediaries.
This platform enables farmers to sell their produce online and facilitates every part of the market process. This scheme promotes digital transactions, transparency, and competitiveness in agriculture.
Soil Health Card Scheme
The Soil Health Card Scheme uses a data-driven approach by providing farmers with helpful information about soil quality, including nutrient content and deficiencies.
The information helps farmers to make informed decisions regarding the use of fertilisers and soil nutrient management.
This scheme leverages digital technology to provide farmers with personalised information about the health of their soil.
Farmers receive recommendations on fertilisers and nutrients through soil testing and analysis to enhance soil quality and crop productivity.
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana was launched in February 2016 to provide affordable crop insurance to farmers. The scheme aims to reduce the losses incurred by farmers due to unforeseen circumstances.
The program uses remote sensing technology, mobile applications, and drones for crop insurance assessment. It makes the claim process more efficient and transparent.
Digital technology is integrated into the PMFBY to streamline the process of crop insurance. Farmers can enrol, file claims, and receive compensation digitally.
It reduces delays and ensures that they receive support in times of crop loss due to natural calamities.
Kisan Credit Card (KCC)
The KCC scheme has embraced digitalisation to give farmers easy access to credit facilities. The KCC card acts as a credit line for farmers.
It allows them to withdraw funds as per their requirements. By digitising this process, farmers can access loans quickly, avoid tedious paperwork, and manage their finances more effectively.
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