Agricultural Schemes in India: Complete List, Features, Benefits & UPSC Notes

Agricultural Schemes in India reflect the government’s consistent effort to address the challenges faced by one of the country’s most critical sectors. Agriculture supports the livelihoods of a large share of India’s population, and the Government of India, through the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, has launched a wide range of schemes to improve farmer income, expand irrigation access, provide crop insurance, build agricultural infrastructure, and promote sustainable farming practices.

This topic of ‘Agricultural Schemes in India’ is important from the perspective of the UPSC IAS Examination, particularly under General Studies Paper II (Government Policies and Interventions) and General Studies Paper III (Agriculture and Economy).

List of Major Agricultural Schemes in India

The Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare runs the following major schemes for the welfare of farmers and for increasing their incomes:

1. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)

Launch Year: 24th February 2019

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To supplement the financial needs of landholding farmer families across the country, subject to exclusion criteria

Key Features:

• Financial benefit of Rs. 6,000 per year transferred in three equal four-monthly instalments
• Funds transferred directly through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to farmer bank accounts
• Fully funded by the Central Government
• Subject to exclusion criteria — income tax payers, institutional landholders, and government employees are excluded
• Till now, Rs. 2.81 lakh crore transferred to more than 11 crore farmer beneficiaries

Benefits:

• Provides a stable income floor for farmer families throughout the year
• Reduces dependence on informal credit and moneylenders for basic agricultural needs
• Promotes financial inclusion through direct bank transfers

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2. Pradhan Mantri Kisan MaanDhan Yojana (PM-KMY)

Launch Year: 12th September 2019

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To provide old-age social security and pension to small and marginal farmer families, who are among the most vulnerable sections

Key Features:

• Contributory pension scheme for small and marginal farmers aged 18 to 40 years
• Monthly contribution ranges from Rs. 55 to Rs. 200 depending on age of entry
• Central Government contributes an equal matching amount to the Pension Fund
• Monthly pension of Rs. 3,000 provided once the farmer attains 60 years of age
• Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India is the pension fund manager
• Registration is done through Common Service Centres (CSCs) and State Governments
• So far, 23.38 lakh farmers have enrolled under the scheme

Benefits:

• Provides financial security to farmers in old age
• Reduces the burden on farmer families during post-retirement years
• Encourages small and marginal farmers to invest in formal social security

3. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)

Launch Year: 2016

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To provide simple, affordable, and comprehensive crop insurance to farmers against natural risks at every stage, from pre-sowing to post-harvest

Key Features:

• Covers all non-preventable natural risks, including drought, flood, cyclone, pest attacks, and post-harvest losses
• Uniform low premium — 2% for Kharif crops, 1.5% for Rabi crops, and 5% for commercial and horticultural crops
• Balance premium cost borne by Central and State Governments
• The scheme is demand-driven and available to all farmers
• Made voluntary for all farmers from 2020 onwards (earlier compulsory for loanee farmers)
• Uses remote sensing, satellite imagery, and smartphone-based crop loss assessment technology
• Total of 5,549.40 lakh farmer applications insured since 2016-17; Rs. 1,50,589.10 crore paid as claims

Benefits:

• Protects farmers from financial distress caused by crop failure
• Encourages investment in quality seeds, fertilisers, and modern farming techniques
• Covers even marginal and small farmers at very low premium cost

4. Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS)

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare / Ministry of Finance

Objective:

• To provide concessional short-term agricultural loans to farmers engaged in crop husbandry and allied activities

Key Features:

• Short-term crop loans up to Rs. 3.00 lakh available at an interest rate of 7% per annum
• Additional 3% interest subvention for prompt and timely repayment, reducing the effective rate to 4% per annum
• Benefit extended to allied activities, including animal husbandry, dairying, and fisheries
• Post-harvest loans against Negotiable Warehouse Receipts (NWRs) also covered for up to six months
• Benefit available on occurrence of natural and severe natural calamities
• As on 05-01-2024, 465.42 lakh new KCC applications sanctioned with a credit limit of Rs. 5,69,974 crore

Benefits:

• Reduces cost of formal credit for farmers significantly
• Encourages timely loan repayment and financial discipline
• Brings more farmers under formal banking and credit system through Kisan Credit Cards

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5. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)

Launch Year: 2020 (under Aatmanirbhar Bharat Package)

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To address infrastructure gaps and mobilise investment in post-harvest management and community farming assets through interest subvention and credit guarantee support

Key Features:

• Medium- to long-term debt financing facility with a corpus of Rs. 1 lakh crore
• Disbursement period: FY 2020-21 to FY 2025-26; support available through FY 2032-33
• Interest subvention of 3% per annum on loans
• Credit guarantee under CGTMSE for loans up to Rs. 2 crore
• Each eligible entity can avail benefits for up to 25 projects in different locations
• Eligible beneficiaries include farmers, agri-entrepreneurs, start-ups, PACS, FPOs, SHGs, JLGs, cooperatives, APMCs, and State Agencies
• As on 31-12-2023, Rs. 33,209 crore sanctioned for 44,912 projects; Rs. 56,471 crore investment mobilised

Benefits:

• Strengthens post-harvest infrastructure including cold chains, warehouses, and primary processing centres
• Attracts private investment into the agriculture sector
• Supports agri-entrepreneurship and rural employment generation

6. Formation and Promotion of 10,000 FPOs

Launch Year: 2020

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To form and promote 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to improve collective bargaining power of small and marginal farmers and provide economies of scale

Key Features:

• Total budgetary outlay of Rs. 6,865 crore
• Formation done through Implementing Agencies (IAs) engaging Cluster Based Business Organisations (CBBOs) for five years of handholding support
• Financial assistance up to Rs. 18.00 lakh per FPO for three years
• Matching equity grant up to Rs. 2,000 per farmer member (maximum Rs. 15.00 lakh per FPO)
• Credit guarantee facility up to Rs. 2 crore per FPO from eligible lending institutions
• FPOs onboarded on e-NAM platform for transparent online trading
• As on 31.12.2023, 7,774 FPOs registered under the scheme

Benefits:

• Enables small farmers to access inputs, credit, technology, and markets collectively
• Reduces individual input costs and improves income through collective selling
• Builds long-term institutional capacity among farming communities

7. National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM)

Launch Year: 2020 (under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan)

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To promote scientific beekeeping across the country and achieve the goal of “Sweet Revolution” by increasing honey production and quality

Key Features:

• Honeybees officially recognised as the 5th Input for Agriculture
• Four World Class State of the Art Honey Testing Labs and 35 Mini Honey Testing Labs sanctioned
• Madhukranti portal launched for online registration of beekeepers, honey societies, firms, and companies
• 23 lakh bee colonies registered on the portal
• 100 Honey FPOs targeted under the 10,000 FPOs scheme; 88 FPOs registered by NAFED, NDDB, and TRIFED
• 25 States/UTs covered under NBHM; 160 projects sanctioned worth Rs. 202 crore

Benefits:

• Increases pollination support, indirectly improving agricultural productivity
• Provides additional income source to farmers and rural households
• Improves quality and traceability of Indian honey for domestic and export markets

8. Market Intervention Scheme and Price Support Scheme (MIS-PSS)

Launch Year: Long-standing scheme; operational under current Ministry framework

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To protect farmers from distress sales during bumper crop seasons when market prices fall below cost of production

Key Features:

• Price Support Scheme (PSS) covers procurement of pulses, oilseeds, and copra
• Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) covers perishable agricultural and horticultural commodities not under PSS
• Intervention activated when prices fall below economic levels and cost of production during peak arrival period
• State Governments implement procurement operations with central support

Benefits:

• Prevents distress selling by farmers during surplus production periods
• Provides price stability for crops not covered under MSP procurement
• Protects income of growers of perishable and horticultural produce

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9. Namo Drone Didi

Launch Year: 2024-25 (approved by Government recently)

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare / Ministry of Rural Development

Objective:

• To provide drones to Women Self Help Groups for offering rental services to farmers for agricultural applications such as fertiliser and pesticide spraying

Key Features:

• Targets 15,000 selected Women SHGs during 2024-25 to 2025-26
• Total outlay of Rs. 1,261 crore
• Central Financial Assistance at 80% of the drone and accessories cost, up to a maximum of Rs. 8.0 lakh per SHG
• Cluster Level Federations (CLFs) can raise the balance amount as loan under the Agriculture Infrastructure Financing Facility (AIF)
• Interest subvention of 3% on AIF loan provided to CLFs
• SHGs expected to earn additional income of at least Rs. 1.0 lakh per annum

Benefits:

• Introduces drone technology for precision agriculture among small and marginal farmers
• Creates sustainable livelihood and additional income for Women SHGs
• Reduces cost and time for fertiliser and pesticide application on farm

10. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana – DPR Based (RKVY-DPR)

Launch Year: 2007 (restructured subsequently)

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To fill resource gaps in agriculture and allied sectors by supporting states in creating pre- and post-harvest infrastructure and increasing overall agricultural growth and farmers’ income

Key Features:

• Provides flexibility and autonomy to states to plan projects based on local farmer needs and priorities
• Covers a wide range of activities across agriculture and allied sectors
• Includes RKVY Agri-startup Programme: since 2019-20, 1,524 start-ups selected and Rs. 106.25 crore released as grants-in-aid
• Funds creation of quality input supply chains, market facilities, and allied sector infrastructure

Benefits:

• Allows state-specific and farmer-need-based planning
• Promotes agri-entrepreneurship and innovation through start-up funding
• Strengthens pre- and post-harvest infrastructure at the grassroots level

11. Soil Health Card Scheme (SHC)

Launch Year: 2015

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To provide soil testing-based nutrient recommendations to farmers so they can make informed decisions about fertiliser use and improve soil fertility

Key Features:

• Soil Health Cards issued to farmers containing information on 12 soil parameters including NPK levels, pH, and micronutrients
• Recommendations include appropriate dosage of nutrients and soil amendments
• Decentralised soil testing system established with testing labs across states
• Nationwide soil fertility map being developed on a GIS platform
• Government of India has decided to conduct 5 crore soil samples during 2023-24 to 2025-26

Benefits:

• Reduces indiscriminate and excessive use of chemical fertilisers
• Lowers input costs and improves farm-level productivity
• Promotes long-term soil conservation and land health

12. Rainfed Area Development (RAD)

Launch Year: 2014-15

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To promote Integrated Farming System (IFS) in rainfed areas through cluster-based approaches covering multi-cropping and allied activities to maximise farm returns and build resilience to climate risks

Key Features:

• Area-based cluster mode approach for promoting IFS
• Covers multi-cropping, rotational cropping, inter-cropping, and mixed cropping
• Allied activities include horticulture, livestock, fishery, and apiculture
• Rs. 1,673.58 crore released and 7.13 lakh hectares covered from 2014-15 to date

Benefits:

• Maximises farm income from rainfed and dryland areas
• Reduces vulnerability to drought, floods, and extreme weather events
• Promotes crop diversification and income stability for rainfed farmers

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13. Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)

Launch Year: 2015-16

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Jal Shakti / Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To increase water use efficiency at the farm level through micro-irrigation technologies and reduce dependence on rainfall and flood irrigation

Key Features:

• Promotes drip and sprinkler irrigation systems at the farm level
• Supports micro-level water harvesting, storage, and management as Other Interventions (OI)
• OI activities allowed up to 40% of total allocation for NE States, Himalayan States, J&K, and Ladakh; up to 20% for other states
• An area of 78 lakh hectares covered under micro irrigation from 2015-16 to 2022-23

Benefits:

• Significantly reduces water consumption compared to flood irrigation
• Lowers fertiliser usage through fertigation (fertiliser application via drip system)
• Reduces labour expenses and overall input costs for farmers

14. Micro Irrigation Fund (MIF)

Launch Year: 2018-19 (corpus created with NABARD)

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare / Ministry of Jal Shakti

Objective:

• To facilitate states in mobilising additional resources for expanding micro-irrigation coverage beyond what central schemes alone can support

Key Features:

• Initial corpus of Rs. 5,000 crore created with NABARD; proposed to be doubled to Rs. 10,000 crore as per Budget 2021-22
• NABARD lends to States/UTs at 3% lower than market rate
• Interest subvention on loan borne by Centre under PDMC
• Projects worth Rs. 4,710.96 crore approved; Rs. 2,812.24 crore disbursed to Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan
• MIF is now merged with PDMC

Benefits:

• Enables states to go beyond central allocation and expand micro-irrigation at scale
• Provides low-cost financing to states for irrigation infrastructure
• Accelerates achievement of water use efficiency targets in agriculture

15. Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)

Launch Year: 2015

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To increase soil fertility and promote production of chemical-free, healthy food through organic farming practices in a cluster-based approach

Key Features:

• Cluster mode implementation: unit cluster size of 20 hectares with minimum 20 farmers
• 25 clusters combined into one large cluster of about 500 hectares for organic produce marketing
• Financial assistance of Rs. 31,500 per hectare provided to states
• Rs. 15,000 per hectare given as incentive directly to farmers through DBT
• Farmers can avail benefit for a maximum of 2 hectares under the scheme
• Linked with Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) for organic certification

Benefits:

• Reduces dependence on chemical fertilisers and pesticides
• Improves long-term soil health and fertility
• Helps farmers access premium markets for certified organic produce

16. Sub-Mission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM)

Launch Year: April 2014

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To promote inclusive agricultural mechanisation, particularly for small and marginal farmers and regions with low farm power availability, through Custom Hiring Centres and hi-tech farm equipment hubs

Key Features:

• Promotes Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) to make machinery accessible without individual ownership costs
• Creates hi-tech hubs and Farm Machinery Banks for high-value equipment
• Includes performance testing and certification at designated centres across the country
• Rs. 6,748.78 crore released; 15,75,719 agricultural machinery and equipment distributed
• 23,472 Custom Hiring Centres, 504 Hi-Tech Hubs, and 20,597 Farm Machinery Banks established
• Drone promotion under SMAM: Rs. 138.82 crore released; 317 drones for demonstration, 461 drones supplied to farmers on subsidy, 1,595 drones supplied to CHCs for rental services

Benefits:

• Makes modern farm equipment accessible to small and marginal farmers at affordable rates
• Reduces cost of cultivation and improves timeliness of farm operations
• Supports safe and efficient use of drone technology in agriculture

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17. Crop Residue Management (CRM)

Launch Year: 2018-19

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To prevent stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and NCT of Delhi by promoting in-situ management of crop residue and thereby reduce air pollution and preserve soil health

Key Features:

• Implemented in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and NCT of Delhi
• Sets up Farm Machinery Banks for custom hiring of in-situ crop residue management machinery
• Promotes awareness through demonstrations, capacity building, and differentiated IEC strategies
• Rs. 3,333.17 crore released; more than 2,95,845 CRM machinery distributed since inception
• CRM is now merged with SMAM

Benefits:

• Reduces air pollution caused by burning of paddy and wheat stubble
• Prevents loss of soil nutrients and micro-organisms from burning
• Converts crop residue into a resource for soil amendment rather than a waste

18. Agro-Forestry

Launch Year: Conceived under National Agro-forestry Policy 2014; restructured under RKVY

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To promote plantation of trees on farmlands to improve farmer livelihood and support sustainable land use by providing Quality Planting Materials (QPM) and certification support

Key Features:

• Conceived on the recommendation of the National Agro-forestry Policy 2014
• Restructured under RKVY to provide Quality Planting Materials (QPM) and certification for farm-based tree planting
• Promotes integration of trees with crops and livestock on the same land

Benefits:

• Improves farmer income through additional tree-based produce alongside crops
• Enhances carbon sequestration and environmental sustainability on farmland
• Provides long-term livelihood security through timber, fruits, and non-timber forest products

19. National Food Security Mission (NFSM)

Launch Year: 2007

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To increase production of rice, wheat, pulses, coarse cereals, and Nutri-Cereals through area expansion and productivity enhancement in a sustainable manner

Key Features:

• Implemented in identified districts of 28 States and 2 UTs (J&K and Ladakh)
• Covers rice, wheat, pulses, maize, barley, and Nutri-Cereals
• Objectives include restoring soil fertility, enhancing farm-level economy, and post-harvest value addition
• 25 seed hubs established for quality seed availability of Nutri-Cereals
• Millet missions launched in 13 states following International Year of Millets 2023 declaration by UNGA
• More than 500 start-ups and 350 FPOs operational in the millet ecosystem

Benefits:

• Strengthens food security at national level through increased production of staple crops
• Promotes Nutri-Cereals and millets as part of India’s global push for millet consumption
• Restores soil health and boosts farm-level confidence among cultivating farmers

20. Sub-Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP)

Launch Year: Operational under Krishonnati Yojana framework

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To cover the entire seed production chain — from nucleus seed to certified seed supply to farmers — and create necessary infrastructure for a strong seed sector

Key Features:

• Supports seed production chain from nucleus to breeder to foundation to certified seed
• Provides support for public seed-producing organisations to improve capacity and quality
• Creates a dedicated seed bank for natural calamity situations
• SATHI Portal (Seed Authentication, Traceability & Holistic Inventory) launched on 19th April 2023 for monitoring and transparency
• SMSP is now merged with NFSM

Benefits:

• Ensures availability of quality certified seeds to farmers across the country
• Strengthens transparency and traceability across the seed supply chain
• Reduces farmer dependence on informal and uncertified seed sources

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21. National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP)

Launch Year: 2021

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To promote oil palm cultivation and reduce India’s import dependence on edible oils, with special focus on North-Eastern States and Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Key Features:

• Aims to bring 6.5 lakh additional hectares under oil palm plantation
• 3.28 lakh hectares in North-Eastern States; 3.22 lakh hectares in rest of India
• Implementation period: 2021-22 to 2025-26
• Special focus on NE States and A&N Islands for area expansion

Benefits:

• Reduces India’s dependence on imported palm oil and improves edible oil self-sufficiency
• Provides a high-value crop option to farmers in the North-East
• Supports the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision in the edible oils sector

22. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)

Launch Year: 2014-15

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To promote holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering fruits, vegetables, spices, flowers, mushrooms, aromatic plants, coconut, cashew, cocoa, and bamboo

Key Features:

• Covers plantation infrastructure development, establishment of new orchards and gardens
• Includes rejuvenation of old, unproductive orchards; protected cultivation; and organic farming promotion
• Pollination support through beekeeping; horticulture mechanisation; post-harvest management infrastructure
• Since 2014-15: 12.95 lakh hectares of horticulture crops covered additionally
• 872 nurseries established; 1.41 lakh hectares of old orchards rejuvenated
• 52,069 hectares covered under organic practices; 3.07 lakh hectares under protected cultivation

Benefits:

• Increases income of horticulture farmers through better infrastructure and market linkage
• Promotes crop diversification away from cereals towards high-value horticultural crops
• Reduces post-harvest losses through cold chain and processing infrastructure

23. National Bamboo Mission (NBM)

Launch Year: Restructured under current scheme framework

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To develop the complete value chain of the bamboo sector by linking growers with consumers through a cluster-based approach

Key Features:

• Implemented in 23 States and 1 UT (J&K) through State Bamboo Missions and State Bamboo Development Agencies
• 367 bamboo nurseries established; 212 accredited by State Level Accreditation Committees
• 46,000 hectares of bamboo plantations established on non-forest government and private lands
• 81 units for bamboo primary processing and 416 units for value addition and product development set up
• Capacity building for 15,000 persons including farmers, artisans, and entrepreneurs
• NBM is now merged with MIDH

Benefits:

• Creates additional income for farmers through bamboo cultivation on marginal and degraded lands
• Supports rural artisans and entrepreneurs in bamboo-based industries
• Promotes a climate-resilient, fast-growing crop as an economic resource

24. Integrated Scheme for Agriculture Marketing (ISAM) / e-NAM

Launch Year: ISAM operational under Krishonnati Yojana; e-NAM integrated in 2017-18

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To support state governments in improving agricultural produce marketing and to create a unified national electronic market through the e-NAM platform

Key Features:

• ISAM covers creation and improvement of market structures, capacity building, and market information systems
• e-NAM is a pan-India electronic trading portal networking existing APMC mandis
• Creates a unified national market for agricultural commodities through transparent price discovery
• 1,389 mandis of 23 States and 4 UTs integrated to e-NAM platform
• More than 1.76 crore farmers and 2.5 lakh traders registered on the portal

Benefits:

• Reduces price distortions caused by fragmented and local mandi systems
• Gives farmers access to a wider market beyond their immediate local area
• Promotes digital literacy and reduces dependence on middlemen in agricultural trade

25. Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER)

Launch Year: 2015-16

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To develop certified organic production clusters in value chain mode in North-Eastern States, linking growers with consumers and supporting the complete organic value chain from inputs to marketing

Key Features:

• Covers all eight NE States: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura
• Develops commodity-specific, concentrated, certified organic production clusters
• Supports entire value chain: inputs, seeds, certification, collection, aggregation, processing, marketing, and brand building
• Since 2015-16: Rs. 1,035.17 crore released; 379 FPO/FPCs created covering 1,89,039 farmers and 1,72,966 hectares

Benefits:

• Promotes certified organic farming in NE India’s unique agro-climatic conditions
• Provides premium price access and better market linkage for NE organic farmers
• Builds institutional capacity through FPOs and value chain infrastructure in the region

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26. Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE)

Launch Year: Operational under Krishonnati Yojana framework

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To make the agricultural extension system farmer-driven and farmer-accountable by using new institutional arrangements and digital technology to deliver timely advisory and knowledge services to farmers

Key Features:

• Uses Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) at district level to operationalise extension reforms
• VISTAAR: Digital Public Infrastructure for agriculture extension being developed as an open platform
• Apurva AI: Captures farmer innovations and acts as a peer-to-peer learning and advisory retrieval platform
• Kisan Call Centre integrated with VISTAAR and Kisan Sarathi (ICAR) for direct expert contact
• IMD weather forecast integrated through DAMU for advisory delivery
• NRLM Decentralised Extension Mechanism: Krishi Sakhi, Pashu Sakhi, Matsya Sakhi trained for digital extension

Benefits:

• Brings agriculture advisory services directly to farmers at district and village level
• Uses AI and digital tools to scale farmer knowledge sharing and innovation capture
• Strengthens last-mile extension delivery through trained rural women as extension workers

27. Digital Agriculture

Launch Year: Ongoing under current Krishonnati Yojana framework

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Objective:

• To develop an open source, open standard, and interoperable digital public infrastructure for agriculture that enables inclusive, farmer-centric services across crop planning, input access, credit, insurance, and market intelligence

Key Features:

• Improves the existing National e-Governance Plan in Agriculture (NeGPA)
• AgriStack architecture with the following foundational layers:
  • Core registries and base databases
  • Farmers’ Database linked with land records and Farmer ID
  • Geo-referencing of farm plots
  • Crop Survey, Crop Planning, Soil Mapping, and Soil Fertility layers
  • Unified Farmers Service Interface for state governments and private players
  • Data Exchange framework for interoperability
• Supports growth of Agri-Tech industry and start-ups

Benefits:

• Creates a farmer-centric digital identity and data infrastructure for targeted scheme delivery
• Improves accuracy of crop estimation and early warning systems
• Enables seamless access to credit, insurance, and input services through a unified interface

Agricultural Schemes in India cover a wide spectrum, from direct income support through PM-KISAN and pension security through PM-KMY, to crop insurance via PMFBY, infrastructure development through AIF, organic farming promotion under PKVY, and digital transformation through the Digital Agriculture initiative. 

For UPSC aspirants, understanding not just the features but also the achievements, limitations, and policy context of these schemes is essential for both Prelims factual recall and Mains analytical answers under GS Paper 2 and GS Paper 3.

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