The Digital Crop Survey (DCS) system is an innovative approach to collecting accurate and real-time data on crop areas . It uses a mobile interface to capture crop-sown details directly from the fields . The goal is to create precise production estimates by providing up-to-date information on crop areas for each agricultural plot .
Here’s a detailed breakdown:
- Data Collection: The DCS system collects crop-sown details via a mobile interface, ensuring data is captured directly from the fields .
- Key Features:
- Provides accurate, real-time crop area data for every agricultural plot .
- Aids in precise production estimation .
- Digital Agriculture Mission: The Digital Crop Survey is conducted under the Digital Agriculture Mission in collaboration with state governments .
- Replaces Traditional Methods The DCS replaces the traditional manual Girdawari system, integrating technologies like remote sensing, geospatial analysis, and artificial intelligence to generate crop production statistics .
- Benefits:
- Improves the reliability of crop area data .
- Reduces human error .
- Increases efficiency .
- Helps government agencies in MSP-based procurement, crop insurance, and credit card-linked crop loans and develop systems for balanced use of fertilizers .
- Coverage: The government is aiming to cover all states under the digital crop survey . In FY 2024-25, the survey aimed to cover 400 districts, with full coverage expected by the following year .
- Digital Inclusion: Recognizing that not all farmers have mobile phones, the government enables access through Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), Krishi Sakhis, and Common Service Centres (CSCs) .
- Data Privacy: Farmer data privacy is ensured by collecting data only with farmer consent, and farmers have full control over how and with whom their data is shared .
- Challenges:
- AEOs (Agriculture Extension Officers) in some states have protested over increased workload and technical issues such as limited internet access .
- The system lacks uniformity in its reach, and variability in the precision of satellite readings and weather interference can lead to data discrepancies .
The Digital Crop Survey (DCS) system represents a significant advancement in agricultural data collection, offering the potential for more accurate, efficient, and reliable crop information.
