Farm to fork takes the digital path

The Indian farm sector seems to be on the cusp of a digital revolution.

- SURINDER SUD

Though digitization, as also the use of artificial intelligence (AI), has already made significant inroads into the rural socioeconomic matrix, the proposed revamping of the Digital Agriculture Mission, with an outlay of ₹2,817 crore, approved by the Union Cabinet last month, can be expected to take it to the next level.

The extensive public digital infrastructure envisaged under this Mission is likely to impact—and, in fact, transform—almost every aspect of rural life and the economy.

Apart from ensuring a better implementation of farmers’ welfare schemes, especially those involving direct benefit transfers, the modern information and communication technology (ICT)-based easy access to technical knowhow and experts’ advice would enable cultivators to improve their farming skills and get instant solutions to their day-to-day problems.

Besides, this would help raise farm productivity with reduced cost to enhance the profitability of farming. Also, digitization of marketing and procurement, financial transactions, and important documents and records—including land records—would diminish the scope for disputes and malpractices. Moreover, it would generate a reliable digital database to facilitate formulating farmer-centric and need-based policies and programmes for agriculture and rural development.