Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed fast-tracking a Digital Agriculture Policy to create an integrated ecosystem providing farmers real-time access to data on crops, weather, irrigation, markets, and institutional services. Supported by a Rs 4,000 crore World Bank project, it aims to boost productivity, sustainability, and rural livelihoods.
Uttar Pradesh is set to revolutionize its agricultural landscape with the imminent framing of a Digital Agriculture Policy aimed at empowering farmers with real-time actionable data. CM Yogi Adityanath mandated officials to expedite this transformative initiative under the Rs 4,000 crore Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Growth and Rural Enterprise Ecosystem Strengthening Project (UP-Agrees), co-supported by the World Bank.
The policy will establish a secure, innovation-driven digital ecosystem that integrates comprehensive data on crop conditions, weather forecasts, seeds, irrigation, fertilizers, insurance options, market prices, and logistics. This holistic access will enable informed decision-making, risk mitigation, and efficient resource utilization for farmers, particularly benefiting small and marginal cultivators.
Aligned with national technical standards, the policy emphasizes cyber infrastructure security and promotes research for continuous innovation. The government plans collaboration with agricultural universities, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to implement the initiative effectively.
CM Yogi highlighted the vision of transforming Uttar Pradesh’s agriculture from raw commodity production to value-added industries and local employment generation. Regional commodity cluster developments in peanuts, red chili, vegetables, bananas, and pulses are underway, aiming at increasing market linkage and production quality.
Special focus is being placed on sustainable practices including land development, soil health, water conservation, and modern agro-technologies. The fisheries sector is also a key area of intervention with initiatives to boost fish seed production and value chain enhancement.
The policy and its associated projects seek to empower nearly one lakh families, optimize input use, and foster rural entrepreneurship, paving the way for a digitally-driven, sustainable agricultural economy in India’s most populous state.
Notable Updates
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Digital Agriculture Policy fast-tracked by CM Yogi Adityanath under UP-Agrees program.
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Rs 4,000 crore World Bank-backed project spans 28 districts focusing on eastern UP and Bundelkhand.
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Real-time integrated access to wide-ranging agricultural data including weather, seeds, fertilisers, markets.
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Collaboration with agricultural universities, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, and FPOs for effective rollout.
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Emphasis on value addition, agro-processing, and rural employment generation.
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Cluster-based development for peanuts, red chili, bananas, pulses, and vegetables.
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Fisheries sector prioritized for seed production and value chain strengthening.
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Aim to support sustainable, innovation-led agricultural productivity and market linkages.
Sources: Economic Times-Government Policy Report; Press Information Bureau (PIB), Government of India; The Statesman; Moneycontrol; ANI.