Lok Sabha Question No. 1618 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-02
Subject: Increase in Farmer’s Income
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Deepak Baij

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1618 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 2 ND  JULY, 2019

## INCREASE IN FARMER'S INCOME

1618.    SHRI DEEPAK BAIJ:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is contemplating to increase the farmer's income through modern techniques under which it is proposed to provide accurate information to farmers through Artificial Intelligence on crops, weather and insects;
- (b) the crops seasons from which the Government proposes to provide information to farmers  so  as  to  enable  farmers  to  tackle  the  problems  of  hailstorm,  frostings,  insect attacks; and
- (c) the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) to (c): Yes, Sir. Government has set a target of doubling of farmers' income by the year 2022. The Government has constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee to examine issues relating to doubling of farmers' income and recommend a strategy to achieve doubling of farmers' income in real terms by the year 2022.

The committee has, inter-alia, appreciated the role of Digital Technology, which can play a transformational  role  in  modernizing  and  organizing  how  rural  India  performs  its  agricultural activities. The technologies include Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, Block chain Technology,  internet  of  Things  etc.  By  use  of  the  modern/advance  technologies  and  Artificial Intelligence (AI) and giving accurate and timely information regarding crops, weather and insects etc. to the farmers, may improve the crop productivity, reduce the risk and improve the income of the farmers. Major technology interventions include:

- (i). Development of Kisan Suvidha mobile application to facilitate dissemination of information  to  farmers  on  the  critical  parameters  viz.,  Weather;  Market  Prices;  Plant Protection; input Dealers (Seed, Pesticide, Fertilizer) Farm Machinery; extreme weather alerts; Soil Health Card; Cold Storages & Godowns; Veterinary Centres and Diagnostic Labs.  With  market  information,  farmers  are  better  informed  about  markets  to  sell produce, prevailing market prices and quantity demanded in the market. Thus, they can make informed decisions to sell produce at the right price and right time.
- (ii). Development  of  'Farm  Machinery  package  for  Different  Agro-Climatic  Zone  in  India' mobile  application,  which  gives  information  on  farm  machinery  package  available  for state-wise,  agro-climatic  zone  wise,  district-wise,  cropping  pattern  wise  and  power source wise.
- (iii). Development of 'My Ciphet' mobile application to help farmers to get precise information regarding  the  Indian  Council  of  Agriculture  Research  (ICAR)  developed  post-harvest technologies, products and machineries.
- (iv). ICAR  has  also  compiled  more  than  100  mobile  apps  developed  by  ICAR,  State Agricultural Universities and Krishi Vigyan Kendras and uploaded on its website. These mobile  apps  developed  in  the  areas  of  crops,  horticulture,  veterinary,  dairy,  poultry, fisheries, natural resources management  and  integrated subjects, offer valuable information  to  the  farmers,  including  package  of  practices,  market  prices  of  various commodities, weather related information, advisory services, etc.
- (v). Development of mKisan Portal (www.mkisan.gov.in) for sending advisories on various crop related matter to the registered farmers through SMSs.
- (vi). Launching  of  e-National  Agriculture  Market  initiative  to  provide  farmers  an  electronic online trading platform.
- (vii). Introduction of Soil Health Card Scheme to assist State Governments in providing Soil Health Cards to all farmers across the country once in a cycle of 2 years. Soil health card  provides  information  to  the  farmers  on  nutrient  status  of  their  soil  along  with recommendations on appropriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving crop productivity and soil fertility.
- (viii). Using  machine  learning  process  along  with  different  computer  algorithm  for  crop classification and area estimation.

The  Government  has  also  set  up  713  Krishi  Vigyan  Kendras  and  684  Agricultural Technology  Management  Agencies  at  district  level  for  dissemination  of  technologies  among farm  community.  In  addition,  farmers  are  provided  information  through  Focused  Publicity Campaigns, Kisan Call Centres, Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centres of entrepreneurs, Agri Fairs and exhibitions, Kisan SMS Portal, etc.

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