UP government drafts ‘digital agriculture’ action plan

Lucknow

Looking to boost rural income and ensure faster delivery of farm services, the Uttar Pradesh (UP) government has launched a ‘digital agriculture’ pilot project in the state.

A comprehensive action plan, which will soon be implemented as a pilot to offer proactive and personalized farm-related services, will span three Western UP districts of Mathura, Mainpuri and Hathras.

The idea is to prepare a smart rural database so that farm services, including various sops and grants, are speedily dispensed at one place by combining digitization of data and digitalization of processes.

In this regard, the government has already entrusted the responsibility of preparing the proposed smart database to the district magistrates of Mathura, Mainpuri and Hathras districts.

Besides, instructions have been issued for appointing a nodal officer for the smooth implementation of the pilot project, which will be conducted by coordinating with the central government officials and the NIC Delhi.

“The project will carry out various tasks for the betterment of farmers, which will enhance their income by reducing the input costs and proactively facilitating agriculture,” a state government official said on September 6.

Under the pilot, the data, including the details of cultivable land, of all the farmers in around 10 villages of these districts will be collected.

Apart from linking farmers to the government schemes, personalized services such as soil and plant health advisories, real-time weather advisories, irrigation facilities, seeds, fertilizers and pesticide related information, nearby logistic facilities and market access information will be readily made available to them.

Moreover, arrangements will be made for proper marketing of the farm produce. Interestingly, this comes against the backdrop of protests by a section of farmers against the new farm laws, which they allege will hamper institutional agri marketing setup and impact rural profitability in the long run.

“The government is constantly working for the welfare of farmers by introducing innovative measures. Extensive efforts are being made to empower farmers economically and also to provide them with multifarious employment opportunities,” he added.