ADVANCES IN AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is advancing agricultural technology through multiple schemes. Under the Sub‑Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM), a component of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), financial assistance is given for farm machinery, Custom Hiring Centres, High‑Tech Hubs and Farm Machinery Banks, enabling small and marginal farmers to access modern equipment. The Digital Agriculture Mission, supported by the AgriStack Farmer Registry, has generated over 10.33 crore farmer IDs and conducts the Digital Crop Survey, covering 604 districts and 28.5 crore plots in Kharif 2025. The BharatVistaar AI‑powered platform, part of the mission, has served more than 5.9 lakh farmers and answered over 93 lakh queries, while drone subsidies under SMAM improve pesticide and nutrient application efficiency.