The new digital initiatives in agriculture announced by the government recently will stop the exodus of youth from rural areas and create millions of jobs in the agrotech sector, according to the Federation of All India Farmer Associations (FAIFA). The organization believes these efforts will help retain the younger generation in farming by making agriculture a more profitable and sustainable career option.
The government recently announced a series of seven agri schemes worth over ₹14,000 crore, aimed at revitalizing India’s agricultural sector by integrating advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and remote sensing. One of the key initiatives is the ‘Digital Agriculture Mission,’ with a financial allocation of ₹2,817 crore as part of the broader investment. A core feature of the mission is the development of an Agri Stack, which will serve as a comprehensive database encompassing a Farmers Registry, Village Land Maps Registry, and Crop Sown Registry. This will provide detailed records on farmers, land use, and crop patterns, helping to improve decision-making and risk management in farming.
The government also launched an ‘AgriSure’ Fund, a Rs 750 crore financial support system, designed to empower agrotech startups. The fund, introduced to provide both equity and debt capital, is set to help startups and agripreneurs scale their operations and contribute to the modernization of Indian agriculture.
FAIFA, a non-profit organization representing millions of farmers and farm workers from states such as Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka, has expressed strong support for these initiatives. The group believes that by addressing climate-related challenges and market uncertainties, the schemes will help alleviate agrarian distress and make farming more attractive to the younger generation.
The bouquet of seven revolutionary agri schemes worth over Rs 14,000 crore, according to Javare Gowda, President, FAIFA, is a “life line” for this sector.
“This new scheme is not just about technological integration. This will help in relieving agrarian distress caused by climate variations and market uncertainties that have made agriculture unlucrative for our youth. We thank the Union government for such far-sighted vision for rejuvenating agriculture on the lines of the success of the digital revolution.”
FAIFA, in a press release, also emphasized that these initiatives will not only create jobs in farming but will also spur the development of new skill sets and opportunities in the agrotech sector. The introduction of advanced technologies into agriculture is expected to increase efficiency and productivity, which will, in turn, reduce the pressure on cities caused by rural-to-urban migration. The organization predicts that these changes could even lead to reverse migration, contributing to a more balanced development between urban and rural areas.
Another important element of the government’s plan is the Krishi Decision Support System, which will leverage geospatial data, drought and flood monitoring, weather and satellite information, and groundwater availability to assist farmers in making informed decisions. This system will also include crop yield and insurance modeling tools designed to improve risk management for farmers.
Murali Babu, General Secretary of FAIFA, underscored the transformative potential of these initiatives:
“The digital revolution in agriculture will be a great disruptor, in so far as it has the potential to generate millions of jobs in core as well as allied fields. This digitisation will not just infuse lifeblood into the sector, but will ensure that it continues to be the largest employer in India. The efficiencies that digital revolution will build into agriculture will have a domino effect on India’s ambition to be the second biggest economy in the world.”
FAIFA also noted that these initiatives are aligned with the government’s broader goal of ensuring food security by 2047, by equipping farmers with climate-resilient crop sciences and modernizing agricultural research and education in line with the New Education Policy 2020.
The Federation remains optimistic that these digital initiatives will play a crucial role in addressing the long-standing issues in India’s agricultural sector, while also ensuring long-term sustainability and growth.
