New Delhi, July 24, 2026: The Government of India has generated more than 10.18 crore unique Digital Farmer IDs across the country as of 20 July 2026, marking a major milestone in the digital transformation of the agriculture sector. The initiative is aimed at streamlining the delivery of government services, improving access to agricultural schemes and enabling efficient transfer of benefits directly to farmers.

According to information shared by Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Shri Ramnath Thakur in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, the Digital Farmer ID serves as a unified identity for farmers and facilitates the integration of key government programmes, including Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), Minimum Support Price (MSP) procurement, agricultural credit delivery, input distribution and disaster relief assistance.

The government is also leveraging satellite imagery and remote sensing technologies to improve the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. Under the Yield Estimation System based on Technology (YES-TECH), satellite data combined with crop yield estimation models is used to generate more accurate yield estimates at the insurance unit level, complementing traditional Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs).

Satellite-based vegetation indices are also being used for smart sampling of Crop Cutting Experiments, enabling scientific selection of sampling locations, reducing manual bias and improving the accuracy of crop loss assessments. Additionally, time-series satellite imagery is helping resolve disputes related to crop area and yield between state governments and insurance companies, thereby accelerating insurance claim settlements.

The government's Krishi Decision Support System (DSS) further enables rapid assessment of crop damage caused by floods, droughts and other natural disasters using multi-temporal satellite imagery, significantly reducing the time required for damage estimation and response.

To promote precision agriculture, the Department of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare continues to support the adoption of Kisan Drones under the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM). Agriculture graduates and small and marginal farmers from the North-Eastern States receive financial assistance of up to 50 percent for purchasing drones, while other farmers are eligible for 40 percent financial assistance. Similar support is also available for establishing Custom Hiring Centres for drone services. To date, 2,122 agricultural drones have been distributed or approved under the SMAM scheme.

The government is simultaneously strengthening drone capacity through dedicated training programmes. The Farm Machinery Training & Testing Institutes (FMTTIs) located at Budni (Madhya Pradesh), Hisar (Haryana) and Biswanath Chariali (Assam), which are approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) as Remote Pilot Training Organisations (RPTOs), have trained 155 drone pilots.

Under the Namo Drone Didi Scheme, selected Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) receive a comprehensive 15-day training programme covering agricultural drone operations and Drone Pilot Licence certification. Training is conducted through 274 DGCA-approved Remote Pilot Training Organisations across the country. So far, 1,094 drones have been supplied to selected SHGs under the scheme.

Among the states, Uttar Pradesh has generated the highest number of Digital Farmer IDs with 2.44 crore, followed by Maharashtra (1.35 crore), Madhya Pradesh (1.14 crore), Rajasthan (87.23 lakh), Karnataka (64.44 lakh) and Gujarat (62.25 lakh). The nationwide total stands at 10,18,40,649 Digital Farmer IDs as of 20 July 2026.

The Digital Farmer ID initiative, together with satellite-based crop monitoring and drone-enabled agricultural services, is expected to enhance transparency, improve policy implementation and accelerate the delivery of digital agriculture services, supporting the government's vision of technology-driven, farmer-centric agricultural development.

Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB), Government of India.