Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has greenlit seven major agricultural initiatives with a combined budget of ₹13,966 crore, aimed at bolstering climate resilience and promoting sustainable farming practices. These initiatives will leverage digital infrastructure and focus on research to tackle emerging challenges in the agricultural sector.
Among the key projects is the Digital Agriculture Mission, which will receive an allocation of ₹2,187 crore. This mission aims to establish a mobile-based platform for farmers, similar to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), enabling seamless transactions and access to vital agricultural information. Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Ashwini Vaishnaw, highlighted the importance of this platform, which will utilize the agri stack—a comprehensive database developed using data from the PM-KISAN cash-transfer program, covering nearly 100 million farmers.
The agri stack, continuously updated since its inception during the previous term of the Modi government, forms the backbone of this digital initiative. The newly approved unified farmer service platform will facilitate the digitization of agricultural services provided by both public and private sectors. The platform will include essential data such as farmers’ registries, land maps, weather updates, and crop yields, thereby streamlining processes like farm insurance and loan disbursal.
“In pilot implementations, we observed that the loan application to disbursal process took just about 40 minutes, thanks to digital land records and Aadhaar-based identification,” Vaishnaw stated. The platform will also enable farmers to connect with buyers for their produce, access sellers of inputs, and obtain vital information such as soil profiles and yield estimates.
Additionally, the Cabinet has approved a ₹3,979 crore program focused on preparing farmers and rural stakeholders for climate change. This initiative will enhance the productivity of pulses and oilseeds while addressing plant-genetics management to reduce India’s reliance on costly imports. The country aims to achieve self-sufficiency in pulses by 2027, a critical objective given the recent surge in imports.
The Cabinet has also sanctioned ₹2,291 crore for a project spearheaded by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). This project will strengthen agricultural research and education to better equip students and researchers to address climate-related challenges. The initiative aligns with the National Education Policy 2020 and seeks to modernize the curriculum in agricultural universities.
Another significant initiative is the ₹1,702 crore livestock program designed to enhance the genetic potential of livestock, which accounts for 30% of the agricultural sector’s gross value added (GVA). This program will focus on managing animal diseases, improving livestock nutrition, and upgrading veterinary education.
Further, the Cabinet has allocated ₹800 crore for a sustainable horticulture scheme aimed at increasing the productivity of fruits, vegetables, mushroom crops, and spices, all of which are vital export commodities. Additional funds of ₹1,202 crore and ₹115 crore have been earmarked for the modernization of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and the efficient use of natural resources, respectively.
Climate adaptation has emerged as a pressing challenge for Indian agriculture, and the Cabinet’s decisions reflect a proactive approach to developing and implementing adaptation technologies. As T.K. Mani, a former faculty member at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, remarked, “Climate adaptation technologies need to be developed swiftly. Collaboration with global agencies is essential to accelerate this process.”
These initiatives underscore the government’s commitment to transforming Indian agriculture through digital innovation and climate resilience, ensuring sustainable growth in the sector.
