TECHNOLOGICAL INITIATIVES UNDER PMFBY (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 - Agriculture)

Context:  The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare launched several new technological initiatives under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana to empower farmers and streamlining the operations.

• The Ministry launched several new initiatives under PMFBY and Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS), such as Yield Estimation System, based on Technology (YES-TECH) Manual, Weather Information Network Data Systems (WINDS) portal and door to door enrollment app AIDE/Sahayak, marking a turning point in India's crop insurance landscape.

Key Points

• YES-TECH Manual: It is a comprehensive guide developed after extensive testing and piloting in 100 districts of India.
• It facilitates the implementation of YES-TECH, a technology-driven yield estimation system, offering methodologies, best practices, and integration insights for accurate yield assessments at the Gram Panchayat level. 
• WINDS Portal: It is a centralized platform that hosts, manages, and processes hyper-local weather data collected by Automatic Weather Stations and Rain Gauges at Taluk/Block and Gram Panchayat levels. 
• The portal enhances risk assessment and decision-making in crop insurance, agriculture advisories, and disaster mitigation, supporting the agricultural sector and rural economy.
• AIDE/Sahayak app: The AIDE app's introduction on Android platform aims to revolutionize the enrolment process, bringing it directly to the doorstep of farmers. 
• This door-to-door enrolment ensures a seamless and transparent process, making crop insurance more accessible and convenient for farmers.