Centre to create Aadhaar-like digital IDs for 11 crore farmers by FY27

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In a bid to empower the farmers' community, the government is targeting to create digital identities for 11 crore farmers over the three fiscals which will be similar to Aadhaar card.

The goal is part of 'AgriStack' initiative which has been designed as a farmer-centric Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to streamline services and scheme delivery to farmers.

A crucial feature of AgriStack is the introduction of a 'Farmer ID', similar to Aadhaar card, serving as a trusted digital identity for farmers.

The government said it will aim to create 6 crore such digital IDs for farmers in FY 2024-25, 3 crore in FY 2025-26 and 2 crore in FY 2026-27.

“These IDs, created and maintained by the state governments/union territories, will be linked to various farmer-related data, including land records, livestock ownership, crops sown, and benefits availed,” said the government.

The government also plans to launch the 'Digital Crop Survey' nationwide within two years, covering 400 districts in FY 2024-25 and all districts in FY 2025-26.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, digital revolution has significantly transformed governance and service delivery in recent years by creating digital identities, secured payments and transactions.

This paved the way for a thriving digital ecosystem across various sectors, including finance, healthcare, education, and retail, positioning India as a leader in citizen-centric digital solutions.

For a similar transformation of the agriculture sector, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the 'Digital Agriculture Mission' with a substantial financial outlay of Rs 2,817 crore, including a central government share of Rs 1,940 crore.

The mission is built on two foundational pillars: Agri Stack and Krishi Decision Support System.

Additionally, the mission includes 'Soil Profile Mapping' and aims to enable farmer-centric digital services to provide timely and reliable information for the agriculture sector.

The implementation of AgriStack is progressing through partnerships between the central and state governments, with 19 states having signed MoUs with the Ministry of Agriculture.