Digital Geo-Spatial Platform Krishi-Decision Support System Launched by Indian Government

Nitin Konde, Apoorva Bajj

Aug 19, 2024 — 2 min read

Digital Geo-Spatial Platform Krishi-Decision Support System Launched by Indian Government

The Krishi-Decision Support System (Krishi-DSS), a geospatial platform based on satellite imagery, was introduced by Bhagirath Choudhary, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare.

With the platform's real-time data on a variety of important agricultural indicators, Indian farmers will be able to manage their crops like never before.

The launch occurred during the National Conference on Space-Driven Solutions for Agriculture Transformation in India, which was a component of the festivities preceding the inaugural National Space Day on August 23, 2024.

Characteristics and Advantages of Krishi-DSS

In India, Krishi-DSS is the pioneering programme of its type, designed with the agricultural industry in mind. Satellite imagery, weather reports, reservoir capacities, groundwater levels, and soil health data are all part of the platform's extensive data set.

Better decisions and more effective farming practices are made possible since the information is accessible to stakeholders and farmers anytime, anywhere.

Understanding crop trends, encouraging crop rotation, and fostering sustainable agriculture are all made easier by the system's sophisticated modules for crop mapping and monitoring.

Keeping an eye on soil moisture, water storage, and crop conditions can help farmers anticipate and prepare for droughts.

Field parcel segmentation is also supported by the platform, which enables interventions to be targeted precisely according to the particular needs of each parcel.

Determinants of Indian Farmers' Yields

The introduction of Krishi-DSS might greatly improve the sustainability and productivity of India's agricultural sector, marking a watershed event in the country's history.

The software helps farmers optimise crop productivity and manage risks like pest assaults and extreme weather by combining data from numerous sources. This data provides insights on crop health, weather patterns, and soil conditions.

The importance of early warning systems for rainfall and lightning strikes was emphasised by Agriculture Secretary Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, who emphasised the revolutionary significance of space technology in agriculture. In order to lessen losses and improve farmers' livelihoods, the platform's capacity to deliver such warnings could be crucial.

The inauguration of Krishi-DSS occurred during a symposium that also highlighted the significance of academic, private, and government partnerships in promoting the use of space technology in farming.

The new platform is a major step forward in the long-running collaboration between space technology and Indian agriculture, which began in 1969, according to Nilesh M. Desai, Director of the Space Applications Centre.

Nirmala Sitharaman, the minister of finance, launched the Digital Public Infrastructure for Agriculture programme in the 2023 budget, of which the Krishi-DSS is a component.