A total of 4.8 crore (48 million) Farmer IDs have been issued under the Government of India‘s Digital Agriculture Mission, which aims to generate digital identities for 11 crore farmers across the country by 2026-27. The initiative also includes conducting a Digital Crop Survey in all States and Union Territories starting from the Kharif season of 2025. As part of this effort, the Digital Crop Survey has already been conducted in 436 districts during Kharif 2024, and in Rabi 2024-25, it covered 461 districts, surveying over 23.90 crore plots.
Digital Agriculture Mission and AgriStack
The Digital Agriculture Mission, approved in September 2024 with a total budget of INR 2,817 crore, aims to establish a comprehensive Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for the agricultural sector. This infrastructure includes AgriStack, the Krishi Decision Support System, and a detailed Soil Fertility & Profile Map. These initiatives are designed to create a structured digital ecosystem that will provide farmers with reliable and timely crop-related information.
AgriStack, a key component of the initiative, consists of three foundational registries essential to the agricultural sector: Geo-Referenced Village Maps, a Crop Sown Registry, and a Farmers’ Registry. These databases are developed and maintained by respective State Governments and Union Territories, ensuring localized and accurate data collection.
Government Support for Digital Agriculture Implementation
To ensure the timely execution of the Digital Agriculture Mission, the government is extending both technical and financial support to States and Union Territories. Key areas of assistance include the development of software for Farmer ID creation and Digital Crop Survey, training programs for state officials, provision for hiring human resources to establish a Project Monitoring Unit, and access to Cloud Infrastructure for project implementation.
The Department of Expenditure under the Ministry of Finance has also introduced a Scheme for Special Central Assistance (SCA) to States for Capital Investment for the financial year 2024-25, with a total allocation of INR 5,000 crore. As of March 28, 2025, INR 1,076 crore has been disbursed to six states: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh.
Additionally, to facilitate field-level implementation, the government has urged states to adopt a Camp-mode approach. Under this system, financial assistance of INR 15,000 per camp is being provided to encourage the organization of such camps and the mobilization of local administration. Moreover, to expedite the creation and verification of the Farmers’ Registry, a provision of INR 10 per Farmer ID has been made available from the administrative fund of the PM-KISAN scheme, which will be used as an honorarium for field functionaries involved in the process.
Artificial Intelligence and IoT in Agriculture
To improve crop productivity, sustainability and farmer livelihoods, the government has integrated Artificial Intelligence (AI) and IoT-enabled systems into the agricultural sector. These technologies are being leveraged to address various challenges faced by farmers and enhance decision-making in farming practices.
One of the key initiatives of Digital Agriculture Mission is Kisan e-Mitra, a voice-based AI-powered chatbot designed to assist farmers with queries related to the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. This solution supports 11 regional languages and is being developed to extend its capabilities to other government programs. Currently, the chatbot handles over 20,000 farmer queries daily, with more than 92 lakh queries answered so far.
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The National Pest Surveillance System has been introduced to mitigate crop losses caused by climate change. This system utilizes AI and Machine Learning to detect pest infestations and crop diseases, enabling timely interventions for healthier crops. Over 10,000 extension workers are currently using this tool, which allows farmers to capture images of pests for analysis. The system presently supports 61 crops and provides insights on more than 400 pests, helping farmers prevent damage and reduce losses.
Additionally, AI-based analytics using field photographs and satellite data are being employed for satellite-based crop mapping and crop-weather monitoring. This technology aids in tracking crop patterns and assessing weather impacts on agricultural productivity, offering valuable insights for farmers to optimize their yields.
The details of these developments under the Digital Agriculture Mission were shared by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Ramnath Thakur, in a written response in the Lok Sabha.
The Digital Agriculture Mission marks a step towards modernizing India’s agricultural sector by providing farmers with essential digital tools and infrastructure. With the issuance of millions of Farmer IDs and the successful implementation of the Digital Crop Survey, the government is laying a strong foundation for a more efficient and data-driven agricultural system. With continued efforts and collaboration between the central and state governments, the mission is poised to transform India’s agricultural landscape in the coming years.
