DPI MISSION (Syllabus GS Paper 3 – Agriculture)

Context: The Union Cabinet approved the Rs 2,817-crore Digital Agriculture Mission for the creation of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in the farm sector.

DPI Mission 

• About: The mission to create Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in agriculture mirrors other successful e-governance initiatives by the government, such as Aadhaar, DigiLocker, eSign, UPI, and electronic health records.
• Funding for Mission: A total of Rs 2,817 crore has been allocated for the Mission, with Rs 1,940 crore from the Centre and the remaining amount from states and Union Territories.
• Timeline and Rollout: The Mission is part of the Agriculture Ministry’s 100-day action plan under the government’s third term, with a nationwide rollout planned over two years, until 2025-26.
• Aim: To create a tech-based ecosystem, the Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES), which will provide accurate estimates of agricultural production.
• Three Pillar of Mission: 

o AgriStack: The farmer-centric DPI AgriStack consists of three foundational agri-sector registries or databases: Farmers’ Registry, Geo-referenced Village Maps, and Crop Sown Registry, all of which will be created and maintained by state/ UT governments.

o Krishi DSS: It will create a comprehensive geospatial system to unify remote sensing-based information on crops, soil, weather, and water resources, etc.

o Soil Profile Maps: Under the Mission, detailed Soil Profile Maps (on a 1:10,000 scale) of about 142 million hectares of agricultural land are envisaged to be prepared.

Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES)

• Objective: To enhance the existing crop yield estimation system, addressing concerns over the accuracy of India’s agricultural production data.
• Efficiency in Agricultural Schemes: Improved data from DGCES will boost the efficiency and transparency of agricultural schemes like paperless MSP procurement, crop insurance, and credit-linked crop loans, as well as support balanced fertilizer use.