National Conference on Agri Stack: Transforming Agriculture Through Data-Driven Solutions

Harnessing Technology for Transparent and Farmer-Centric Governance

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW) recently organized the National Conference on Agri Stack: Turning Data into Delivery at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi. The event brought together senior officials from the central and state governments, along with key stakeholders, to discuss the progress, challenges, and future roadmap of Agri Stack under the Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM).

Key Highlights from the Conference

1. Government’s Commitment to Digital Agriculture

Shri Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, emphasized the government’s dedication to leveraging technology for transparent, farmer-centric governance. He urged states to:

• Dynamically link Farmer Registries with updated Records of Rights (RoR).
• Actively utilize digital datasets for efficient scheme delivery and personalized agricultural services.

The Secretary of the Department of Land Resources (DoLR) highlighted the importance of digital land records and Aadhaar seeding for accurate farmer identification. He also addressed challenges like declining land value and rural income, stressing the need for robust digital infrastructure.

2. Agri Stack Integration with Key Schemes

Shri Pramod Kumar Meherda, Additional Secretary (Digital), MoA&FW, provided a detailed overview of Agri Stack’s integration with flagship schemes such as:

• PM-KISAN (Direct Income Support)
• PMFBY (Crop Insurance)
• Kisan Credit Card (KCC)

He emphasized the need for:

• Georeferencing and data quality assurance.
• Compliance with Unified Farmer Service Interface (UFSI) standards.

3. New Digital Services for Farmers

The conference introduced upcoming digital services, including:

• Farmer Authorization System: Allows farmers to securely share land and crop data.
• Digitally Verifiable Certificates (DVCs): Enables farmers to generate authenticated credentials for land and crops, integrated with DigiLocker.

Major Milestones Achieved

1. MoU Signings with States

Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed with:

• Maharashtra
• Kerala
• Bihar
• Odisha

Additionally, the PSB Alliance partnered with the National Farmers’ Welfare Program Implementation Society (NFWPIS) to enable digital credit access through Farmer Registry-linked authentication, reducing paperwork for small and marginal farmers.

2. Special Central Assistance (SCA) Guidelines Launched

A ₹6,000 crore allocation was announced to support states:

• ₹4,000 crore for Farmer Registry (including legal heir systems).
• ₹2,000 crore for Digital Crop Survey (DCS).

Innovations & Challenges Discussed

1. AI & Remote Sensing for Agriculture

Technical sessions led by the Chief Knowledge Officer and Advisor (CKO&A) focused on:

• AI/ML tools for crop identification.
• Automated data validation to improve accuracy.
• Addressing challenges like outdated tribal land records and errors in crop survey photos.

2. State-Level Success Stories

• Maharashtra: Enrolled farmers in the Farmers Registry and sought central support for AI-driven advisories (MahaVistaar AI).
• Uttar Pradesh: Integrated Agri Stack with MSP e-procurement for 2024.
• Karnataka: Linked FRUITS (Farmer Registration and Unified Beneficiary Information System) with banking and disaster relief systems.

3. Digitally Verifiable Credentials (DVC) & Grievance Redressal

• Kisan Pehchan Patra (DVC): Farmers can generate authenticated land and crop credentials via DigiLocker, automatically revoked upon land mutation.
• Unified Grievance Portal: Features OTP-based login, multilingual support, and audio uploads for land disputes.

AI-Powered Chatbot & Future Roadmap

The Ministry showcased an AI-powered chatbot (built using Google Gemini) capable of answering farmer queries in multiple languages. Other AI tools in development include:

• Facial authentication for surveyors.
• Automated crop identification.
• Backend code optimization with system integrators.

Conclusion: A Collaborative Path Forward

The conference concluded with an open dialogue, fostering peer learning and feedback from states. Shri Anindya Banerjee, Deputy Advisor, delivered the Vote of Thanks, reaffirming the Centre’s commitment to data-driven agricultural development.

Why Agri Stack Matters?

Agri Stack aims to:
✅ Improve transparency in subsidy distribution.
✅ Reduce fraud in farmer registrations.
✅ Enhance access to credit and insurance.
✅ Enable precision farming through AI and geospatial data.

With continued collaboration between the Centre and States, Agri Stack is set to revolutionize Indian agriculture, ensuring sustainable growth and prosperity for farmers.

Sources:

• Press Information Bureau (PIB)
• Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare
• Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM)

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