Digital Agriculture Mission

• Agriculture in India is undergoing a paradigm shift, driven by digitization, precision farming, remote sensing, and AI-based data analytics. 
• To harness these advancements, the Government of India launched the Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM) 2021–2025, aiming to digitally empower Indian farmers and improve decision-making across the agricultural value chain.

What is Digital Agriculture?

• Digital agriculture refers to the use of digital technologies, such as:
  • Precision farming
  • Smart sensors
  • Big data analytics
  • Geospatial tools
  • Web-based platforms
  • Internet of Things (IoT)
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• These tools help monitor, optimize, and improve agricultural productivity and sustainability.
• Examples:
  • Drones for Locust Control (used by the Indian government)
  • GreenSense by Yuktix: A remote farm monitoring solution
  • Fasal, DeHaat, and CropIn: Agri-tech startups using AI & IoT

Foundational Pillars of the Digital Agriculture Mission

The mission is built upon two major pillars:

• Agri Stack (Farmer Identity Platform)
• A farmer-centric Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) designed to streamline service and scheme delivery using three key components:
  • Farmer Registry: Creation of a unique Farmer ID as a digital identity for each farmer.
  • Geo-referenced Village Maps: Linking Farmer IDs with land records, improving targeting of subsidies and schemes.
  • Crop Sown Registry: Digital crop survey using satellite and on-ground data.
• Decision Support System (DSS) for Agriculture
• A comprehensive geospatial system integrating real-time data on:
  • Crop health
  • Weather patterns
  • Soil moisture
  • Water availability
• Developed using:
  • RISAT-1A satellite data
  • VEDAS (Visualization of Earth Observation Data and Archival System)

Key Features and Innovations

• Soil Profile Mapping: Detailed soil health monitoring at the plot level.
• Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES): Accurate crop yield forecasting.
• Data Integration: Linking digital tools with government portals like PM-KISAN, Soil Health Card, and Crop Insurance databases.
• Open APIs for private agri-tech start-ups to build scalable applications.

Targets and Goals

Benefits of the Mission

• Enhanced Decision-Making: Real-time, accurate information for farmers, policymakers, and researchers.
• Efficient Governance: Better targeting of subsidies and schemes.
• Market Linkages: Connecting farmers directly with buyers and processors through digital platforms.
• Climate Resilience: Monitoring weather and soil data to adapt cropping patterns.
• Transparency: Reduced corruption and leakages in agricultural support mechanisms.

Challenges Ahead

• Digital Literacy: Many farmers are not digitally literate or lack access to smartphones.
• Infrastructure Gaps: Poor internet connectivity in remote areas.
• Data Privacy: Concerns over use and storage of sensitive farmer data.
• Inter-departmental coordination: Seamless data integration between agriculture, land, weather, and satellite agencies is still evolving.

Way Forward

• Strengthening Agri-DPI (Digital Public Infrastructure) with privacy-first policies.
• Capacity Building of extension workers and farmers in using digital tools.
• Public-Private Partnerships to co-create and scale innovative solutions.
• Localized Solutions in regional languages tailored to specific agro-climatic zones.
• Integration with other missions like PM-Fasal Bima Yojana, Soil Health Mission, and Atmanirbhar Krishi.