Bihar Govt Starts Digital Crop Survey to Enhance Agricultural Practices in the State

In a significant move, the Bihar state agriculture department has initiated a digital crop survey starting from Badhshahpur in Sheikhpura. The launch event witnessed the participation of Sheikhpura district magistrate J Priyadarshini, along with senior district and state agriculture officials.

The primary objective of this app-based digital survey is to evaluate the types of crops cultivated across different seasons and regions. The collected data will prove instrumental in guiding the government's efforts in agricultural produce marketing and enhancing crop insurance mechanisms for farmers during unforeseen calamities.

The digital survey stems from a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Union agriculture ministry, Bihar state agriculture department, and Revenue and Land Reforms Department. The collaboration aims to create a comprehensive data bank detailing crop varieties sown in specific land plots within designated areas.

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Commencing with the Rabi season, the digital survey will initially cover five districts—Sheikhpura, Nalanda, Munger, Lakhisarai, and Jehanabad. The pilot phase will involve 831 villages, employing an app-based system to gather information about crop types in cadastral-mapped land plots.

A senior agriculture officer highlighted the process, stating that field staff would survey each plot to identify the crop sown, creating a detailed database. The gathered data will enable the state agriculture department to access comprehensive information about crop varieties across different seasons and geographical locations.

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The newfound data resource holds potential benefits for both farmers and the government. With a detailed understanding of crop varieties, the government can offer better market opportunities for farmers, facilitate improved crop insurance during emergencies such as floods or droughts, and aid in the formulation and implementation of new agricultural policies.

Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, agriculture department secretary, expressed optimism about the digital crop survey's impact. He emphasized that the initiative would not only benefit farmers but also contribute to the successful implementation of various agricultural schemes aimed at boosting overall agricultural production in the state.

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