Lok Sabha Question No. 1551 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-12
Subject: Use of Space Technology in Agriculture Sector
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: SUDHEER GUPTA, T. RADHAKRISHNAN, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, VIJAY KUMAR S.R., S. RAJENDRAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1551

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  12 TH  FEBRUARY, 2019

## USE OF SPACE TECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE SECTOR

1551.  SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI T. RADHAKRISHNAN:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRI ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN:

SHRI S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR:

SHRI S. RAJENDRAN:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is using space technology in agriculture sector in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the areas identified by the Government for this purpose;
- (c) the details of the advantages of using space technology in agriculture and allied sector;
- (d) whether  the  Mahalanobis  National  Crop  Forecast  Centre  (MNCFC)  has  launched  a pilot project called KISAN using space technology for better yield estimation;
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the outcome of the project; and
- (f) the  further  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  for  use  of  space  technology  in agriculture and allied sectors for the betterment of farmers?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF  STATE IN THE  MINISTRY OF  AGRICULTURE AND  FARMERS  WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी ( SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

- (a)  & (b): Yes, Madam. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, has been proactive in using the space technology in agricultural sector. The Ministry, since early 80s has been funding various projects, under which Indian Space Research Organisation developed methodologies for Crop Production Forecasting. The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and  Farmers  Welfare  established  a  Centre,  called  Mahalanobis  National  Crop  Forecast Centre, in 2012, for operationalisation of the space technology developed in the Indian Space Research Organization, for  crop  production  forecasting. The Department has another centre

called  Soil  and  Land  Use  Survey  of  India,  which  uses  satellite  data  for  soil  resources mapping. Currently, the Department is using space technology for its various programmes/ areas,  such  as,  Forecasting  Agricultural  Output  using  Space,  Agro-meteorology  and  Landbased Observations (FASAL) project,  Coordinated programame on Horticulture Assessment and  Management  using  geoiNformatics  (CHAMAN)    project,  National  Agricultural  Drought Assessment and Monitoring System (NADAMS), Rice-Fallow Area Mapping and intensification, geo tagging of infrastructure and assets created under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana,  and Crop Insurance.

(c): The  space  technology  helps  getting  fast  and  unbiased  information  about  the  crop situation  in  the  country.  It  provides  digital  data,  which  is  amenable  to  various  analysis. Because of its synoptic view, it provides images of the whole country in a very short duration. Hence, this data can be used for various programmes, which need information on crop type, crop area estimates, crop condition, crop damages, crop growth etc.

(d) & (e): The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare had launched KISAN  [C(K)rop  Insurance  using  Space  technology  And  geoiNformatcs]  project  during October 2015. The project envisaged use of high-resolution remote sensing data for optimum crop  cutting  experiment  planning  and  improving  yield  estimation.  Under  this    project,  pilot studies were conducted in 4 districts of 4 States viz. Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Madhya  Pradesh.  The  study  provided  many  useful  inputs  [for  smart  sampling,  yield estimation, optimum number of Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) etc.], which were used to define Standard Operating Procedures  for use of satellite data in the revised guidelines of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY).

(f): The Department is carrying out a large number of pilot studies, through government and  non-government  agencies  for  use  of  space  technology  in  optimising  CCEs,  a  major requirement  for  PMFBY.  The  Department  is  also  using  satellite  remote  sensing  data  for monitoring agricultural situation of 29 double risk districts.

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