Archive · 20 Jul 2026
India Expands Digital Crop Survey
The Indian government is expanding a program called the Digital Crop Survey (DCS) to collect information about the crops farmers are growing.
They plan to cover 45 crore plots in 5.53 lakh villages during the current farming season.
This will help them provide personalized advice to farmers on what crops to grow and how to farm scientifically.
The government is also verifying the data using satellite technology.
They have already created 10.15 crore Farmer IDs, which help in managing and tracking agricultural data.
Some states have done better than expected in creating these IDs, while others are still working on it.
The data collected is also being used to buy crops at a guaranteed price, which helps farmers.
The government has received an award for this project, showing it is doing a good job.
The Indian government plans to expand the Digital Crop Survey (DCS) to cover 45 crore plots in 5.53 lakh villages during the Kharif season.
10.15 crore Farmer IDs have been created across 20 states, with some states exceeding their targets.
The DCS data is being used for near-real-time production estimates and personalized advisory on crop selection and scientific farming.
The government is verifying the data using remote sensing-based crop area estimation.
The data generated through Farmer IDs is being utilized for MSP-based procurement, saving significant amounts in states like Chhattisgarh.
- Who
- The Indian government and farmers across 20 states.
- What
- Expansion of the Digital Crop Survey (DCS) to cover more plots and villages.
- When
- During the ongoing Kharif season.
- Where
- Across 5.53 lakh villages in India.
- Why
- To collect comprehensive data on crops, provide personalized advisory, and implement MSP-based procurement.
Government Perspective
Farmer Perspective
Coverage of Farmers
Government Perspective
The government aims to cover 45 crore plots in 5.53 lakh villages, ensuring comprehensive data collection and personalized advisory for farmers.
Farmer Perspective
Some farmers, especially non-land-owning cultivators, may face challenges in being included in the survey due to the absence of formal land records in certain regions.
Data Verification
Government Perspective
The government is using remote sensing-based crop area estimation to verify the data collected through the Digital Crop Survey (DCS).
Farmer Perspective
Farmers may have concerns about the accuracy and reliability of data collected through remote sensing, especially in regions with diverse farming practices.
- Digital Crop Survey (DCS)
- A government initiative to collect data on crops grown by farmers.
- Farmer IDs
- Unique identifiers created for farmers to track and manage agricultural data.
- Kharif Season
- The ongoing agricultural season in which the government plans to scale up the DCS.
- PM KISAN Scheme
- A scheme providing ₹6,000/year to eligible farmers in three equal instalments.
- Agri Stack Project
- A project under the Ministry of Agriculture recognized with a gold award for excellence in e-Governance.
- MSP-based Procurement
- A system using data generated through farmer IDs to implement Minimum Support Price (MSP) based procurement.