Centre to Create Aadhaar-Like Digital IDs for 11 Crore Farmers by FY27
In a significant move to enhance the agricultural sector, the Indian government has set a target to create digital identities for 11 crore farmers by FY27. These IDs, similar to the Aadhaar card, will form a key component of the 'AgriStack' initiative, a farmer-centric Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) aimed at improving service delivery and scheme implementation for farmers.
The 'Farmer ID,' a central feature of AgriStack, will serve as a trusted digital identity, linking farmers to vital information such as land records, livestock ownership, crops sown, and benefits received. The government plans to roll out 6 crore digital IDs by FY 2024-25, followed by 3 crore in FY 2025-26 and the remaining 2 crore in FY 2026-27. These digital identities will be created and maintained by state governments and union territories.
Additionally, the government is gearing up to launch a ‘Digital Crop Survey’ across the nation. The survey will cover 400 districts by FY 2024-25 and all districts by FY 2025-26, providing critical data to further streamline agriculture services.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the digital revolution has played a transformative role in governance and service delivery, with digital identities, secure payments, and transactions becoming integral to multiple sectors, including finance, healthcare, education, and retail. This has positioned India as a leader in citizen-centric digital solutions.
To replicate this success in agriculture, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the ‘Digital Agriculture Mission’ with a financial outlay of Rs 2,817 crore, of which Rs 1,940 crore is the central government's share. The mission is underpinned by two pillars AgriStack and the Krishi Decision Support System and aims to enable timely and reliable information for farmers.
Implementation of AgriStack is progressing with 19 states already signing memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with the Ministry of Agriculture to advance digital services for farmers across the country.
