The agriculture and farming community has always been the lifeline of this country. A large part of the Indian population depends on agriculture as their primary source of income. Not only that, much of agriculture remains a huge part of the economy as well.
“The Economic Survey highlights that the ‘Agriculture and Allied Activities’ sector has long been the backbone of the Indian economy, playing a vital role in national income and employment. In recent years, the agriculture sector in India has shown robust growth, averaging 5 percent annually from FY17 to FY23, demonstrating resilience despite challenges. In the second quarter of the 2024-25 fiscal year, the agriculture sector recorded a growth rate of 3.5 percent. The Gross Value Added (GVA) of agriculture and related sectors has improved from 24.38 percent in the fiscal year FY15 to an impressive 30.23 percent by FY23. Consistent and stable growth of agriculture at around 5 percent, with a 20 percent share of overall GVA in the economy, will contribute 1 percent growth to GVA.”
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However, despite such exceptional growth rates, Indian farmers face issues that are unknown to many of us. These issues range from as basic as a lack of tools and other resources to as huge as farmer suicide cases.
From crop diseases to erratic rainfalls, pest infestations, floods or droughts, low market prices and exploitation are some of the most frequent problems our farmers face.
Small farmers frequently use informal lending sources with exorbitant interest rates. Although there are government programs, farmers find it challenging to take advantage of them due to delays, complicated paperwork, and a lack of digital literacy.
However, as the whole nation is getting digitalized, it is now the agriculture sector’s turn, and rightfully so compared with economic contribution, backwardness, and exploitation. The PM Kisan app was the first step in digitalizing the agriculture industry.
The Indian government introduced the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), a central sector program, in 2019. Eligible farmer families receive ₹6,000 in financial aid annually, which is deposited into their bank accounts in three equal installments. It is an agriculture Kisan app that advances modern agriculture and farmers.
Most importantly, it protects our farmers from harassment by landowners, informal money lenders, or middlemen.
Using Artificial Intelligence to predict the weather, digital calendars to track crop progress, and online banking systems to receive loans and pay them back, such features eliminate the redundancy of visiting multiple places to receive these services, making it all available on their mobile phones at their comfort and time, saving their very precious time and effort. Not only that, it brings at par with everyone else using such technologies, promoting financial and social inclusion, which is a very big necessity for any country willing to expand its economy.
Modernizing agriculture not only empowers our farmers but also revolutionizes the way people view and participate in it. It is one of India’s strongest suits, and if we align with the view of making India a developed nation, it can easily become a superpower.