The Government of India’s farmer-centric digital initiative AgriStack has achieved a major milestone with the creation of more than 10.31 crore Farmer IDs across the country, strengthening the foundation for technology-driven agricultural services and transparent delivery of welfare schemes. The initiative aims to build a comprehensive digital ecosystem that enables faster, easier and more efficient access to agricultural services for farmers.
The update was shared by Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Ramnath Thakur in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha. He stated that AgriStack has been developed as a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for agriculture, designed to function as a public good and improve the delivery of government schemes and services to farmers.
Building a Digital Identity for Farmers
AgriStack is designed to create a detailed digital profile of farmers by integrating essential agricultural information, including farmers’ personal details, land records, crops cultivated, and associated assets such as livestock and fisheries. This digital framework is expected to support better policymaking, targeted service delivery and improved access to financial and agricultural support systems.
The platform consists of three major foundational registries linked to agriculture: Farmer Registry, Geo-Referenced Village Maps, and Crop Sown Registry. These registries are created and maintained by respective State Governments and Union Territories, ensuring that local administrations retain ownership and responsibility for agricultural data management.
The Farmer Registry, a key component of AgriStack, serves as a foundational database to enable transparent and efficient delivery of agricultural services. It is being integrated with multiple farmer-focused schemes and digital platforms to accelerate processes such as credit disbursement, crop insurance access, weather advisories and procurement systems based on Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Farmer IDs Linked with Digitised Land Records
Farmer IDs are generated by synchronising farmers’ information with digitised land records. This process helps establish an authentic digital identity for farmers while reducing delays and improving accuracy in service delivery.
As of 3 August 2026, more than 10.31 crore Farmer IDs have been generated nationwide. The initiative is also being expanded through digital crop surveys to strengthen agricultural data systems.
During the Rabi season 2025-26, the Digital Crop Survey (DCS) was conducted in 648 districts, covering more than 31.3 crore land plots across the country. The survey aims to create reliable and timely information about crops cultivated by farmers, helping governments improve planning, production estimates and agricultural interventions.
The State of Manipur has also started the process of implementing the Digital Crop Survey and is participating in the creation of Farmer IDs.
Ensuring Data Privacy and Security
The government has emphasised that AgriStack has been developed with strong safeguards to protect farmers’ personal information. The State Farmer Registry follows a federated structure, meaning ownership and control of data remain with the respective State Governments.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has aligned AgriStack with the provisions of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025. Under this framework, farmers’ data is collected only after obtaining their consent, and farmers retain control over sharing their information with authorised entities for specific purposes.
The platform incorporates cybersecurity measures in accordance with guidelines issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In). Farmer information stored on AgriStack is encrypted, ensuring that only authorised systems can access and interpret the data.
Technology-Based Crop Yield Estimation
The government is also using digital technologies to improve crop assessment and insurance-related processes. Under the YES-TECH initiative of the Crop Insurance Scheme, technology-based yield estimation is being implemented for major crops, including paddy, wheat and soybean.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) have been identified as important approaches for improving crop yield estimation under this initiative. These technologies can help analyse large volumes of agricultural data and provide more accurate assessments of crop productivity.
Additionally, the government has developed the Digital General Crop Estimation System (DGCES), a digital platform aimed at generating accurate and timely crop yield data. The system is expected to enhance crop production estimates and support better agricultural planning.
With the expansion of AgriStack, digital crop surveys and AI-based agricultural solutions, the government aims to create a modern technology-enabled agricultural ecosystem that empowers farmers and improves access to critical services across the country.
Also Read: Farmers Support Ethanol Push, Seek Farmer-Centric Policies for Greater Benefits
Author: Shivam
Shivam Dwivedi is a senior journalist with extensive experience in research-driven journalism, policy communication, and multi-platform storytelling. His areas of interest include international relations, defence, science & technology, education, urban development, agriculture, spirituality, and environmental sustainability. His work focuses on in-depth analysis, public discourse, and impactful narratives across governance and development sectors, with a strong commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Contact: [email protected]
