The government is taking significant steps to digitize the agricultural sector, with the aim of empowering farmers through technology-driven solutions. On April 1, 2025, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Ramnath Thakur, informed the Lok Sabha that 4.85 crore Farmer IDs had been generated as of March 28, 2025. The target is to register 11 crore farmers by 2026-27, ensuring their inclusion in various digital initiatives.
To advance this transformation, the government plans to implement the Digital Crop Survey across all States and Union Territories beginning with Kharif 2025. Notably, the survey has already been conducted in 436 districts during Kharif 2024 and in 461 districts, covering over 23.90 crore plots, during Rabi 2024-25. This extensive data collection aims to improve agricultural planning and policymaking.
In September 2024, the Government approved the Digital Agriculture Mission with a financial outlay of Rs 2,817 crores. The mission aims to build a robust Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for Agriculture, including AgriStack, a Krishi Decision Support System, and a comprehensive Soil Fertility & Profile Map. These digital tools will empower farmers with accurate, real-time agricultural insights, facilitating informed decision-making.
The AgriStack framework comprises three core databases: Geo-Referenced Village Maps, Crop Sown Registry, and Farmers Registry, all maintained by respective State Governments and Union Territories.
To ensure the effective execution of this mission, the Government is providing both technical and financial assistance to the States and UTs. This includes developing software for Farmer ID generation and Digital Crop Surveys, training State officials, hiring human resources for project monitoring, and establishing cloud infrastructure.
Additionally, the Department of Expenditure under the Ministry of Finance has introduced a Scheme for Special Central Assistance (SCA) to States for Capital Investment 2024-25, allocating Rs 5,000 crores. As of March 28, Rs 1,076 crores have been disbursed to six states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh.
To further accelerate the registration and verification of Farmer IDs, the government has advised States to adopt a camp-based approach. A financial assistance of Rs 15,000 per camp has been provisioned to encourage field-level registrations.
Moreover, Rs 10 per Farmer ID has been earmarked from the administrative fund of the PM KISAN Scheme as an honorarium for field functionaries involved in this process.
