Executive Summary:
This document presents the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare's response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2534, concerning the budget allocation for the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), adoption of AI in agriculture, impact assessments, and measures for technology accessibility to small farmers. The response includes budget details for the past ten years, reasons for adoption rates, study outcomes, and government initiatives. The data presented spans from 2015-16 to 2024-25, with a study conducted in Kharif 2024.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Budget Allocation and Expenditure for DARE:**
* The budget allocation for DARE has increased year to year over the last 10 years, with noted exception during the COVID-19 pandemic.
* Detailed budget allocation and actual expenditure figures are provided for each year from 2015-16 to 2024-25, ranging from ₹5586.00 crore to ₹10156.35 crore.
* **Adoption of AI and Advanced Technologies in Agriculture:**
* Farmers are adopting technologies like drones, precision farming, and automated irrigation.
* Public, private sectors, and AgriTech startups are fostering AI adoption.
* Government initiatives include KisaneMitra (AI-powered chatbot), ICAR's Virtual Centre of Excellence on AI in Agriculture, mobile apps like AIDISC and AI DISHA, and the National Pest Surveillance System.
* AI-based analytics are used for crop health assessment and monitoring via satellite, weather, and soil moisture data, supporting 61 crops and 400+ pest combinations, used by over 10,000 extension workers.
* **Impact Assessment of AI and Technological Interventions:**
* An ICAR-NIAP study in Uttar Pradesh (Kharif 2024) showed yield increases of 4.1% in paddy and 1.6% in sugarcane using drone technology.
* Drone spraying reduced labor costs by 31.4% compared to conventional methods.
* **Measures for Technology Accessibility to Small and Marginal Farmers:**
* Digital Agriculture Mission: Employs AI, big data, geospatial analytics, blockchain, and digital platforms for crop monitoring, soil profiling, weather forecasts, and decision support.
* Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM): Supports Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs), 'Drone Didi', and 'Kisan Drones'.
* Promotion of Affordable Farm Machinery: Promotes low-cost, efficient farm implements with subsidies for farmers and entrepreneurs.
* Capacity Building: Utilizes 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) for technology assessment, demonstration, capacity development, and input support (seeds, planting materials, etc.).
Impact Analysis:
Farmers:
* *Impact:* Increased access to advanced technologies, potential for higher yields, reduced labor costs (through drone usage), and improved decision-making via digital platforms and AI tools.
* *Action Required:* Engage with KVKs and ATMA for training and technology adoption, utilize available subsidies for farm machinery, and leverage digital platforms for crop management and weather information.
Agricultural Extension Workers:
* *Impact:* Enhanced tools and resources for crop monitoring, pest management, and providing informed advice to farmers.
* *Action Required:* Utilize AI-based analytics and the National Pest Surveillance System, promote the use of mobile applications (AIDISC) to farmers, and facilitate access to digital platforms and government schemes.
Agricultural Researchers (ICAR & DARE):
* *Impact:* Continued investment in agricultural research and development, with a focus on AI and advanced technologies.
* *Action Required:* Conduct further impact assessments of AI and technological interventions, develop innovative solutions tailored to small and marginal farmers, and collaborate with the private sector and AgriTech startups.
Key Entities Referenced
Department of Agricultural Research and Education: A department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare responsible for agricultural research and education.
Union Budget: The annual financial statement of the Government of India, outlining the estimated revenues and expenditures for the fiscal year.
Artificial Intelligence: The simulation of human intelligence processes by computer systems, particularly in the context of agricultural applications.
SHRI BHAGIRATH CHOUDHARY: Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
COVID19 Pandemic: The global pandemic of 2020-2023 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which impacted various sectors including agriculture.
Uttar Pradesh: A state in India where a study on drone technology in agriculture was conducted.
Digital Agriculture Mission: An initiative to deploy AI, big data, geospatial analytics, block chain and digital platforms for enhanced crop monitoring, soil profiling, realtime weather forecasts, and decision support.
Krishi Vigyan Kendra: A network of agricultural extension centers that provide technology assessment, demonstration, and capacity development to farmers.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2534
TO BE ANSWERED ON 5TH AUGUST, 2025
BUDGET ALLOCATION TO DARE
2534. SHRI MANISH TEWARI:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृषि और ककसान
कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:
(a) the details of budget allocation and actual expenditure for the Department of
Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) in the Union Budget over the past ten years,
year-wise;
(b) the reasons for the budget allocation for DARE remaining marginal, despite the critical
need for research and development in the agricultural sector;
(c) the reasons for the limited adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced
technologies in agriculture, despite challenges such as unpredictable weather, labour
shortages, and crop diseases;
(d) whether the Government has conducted any independent assessments to measure
the impact of AI and technological interventions on agricultural output and farmers' income,
if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
(e) the details of measures implemented by the Government to ensure that technological
advancements in agriculture are accessible and affordable to small and marginal farmers
across the country?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृषि और ककसान कल्याण राज्य मंत्री (SHRI BHAGIRATH CHOUDHARY)
(a) & (b): The budget allocation and expenditure of DARE is as under:
(Rs in crore)
Year Budget Allocation Actual Expenditure
2015-16 5586.00 5572.90
2016-17 6238.00 5995.21
2017-18 6992.00 6989.92
2018-19 7952.73 7943.59
2019-20 7846.17 7844.98
12020-21 7762.38 7685.52
2021-22 8513.62 8439.94
2022-23 8658.89 8578.17
2023-24 9876.60 9804.39
2024-25 10156.35 10091.23
The budget allocation of Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE)
has increased during last 10 years (year to year basis) except during the period affected by
COVID-19 Pandemic.
(c): Farmers in India are adopting advanced technologies such as drones, precision
farming, and automated irrigation and fertigation systems. Both the public and private sectors
along with AgriTech startups are playing a vital role in accelerating the adoption of Artificial
Intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies in agriculture. In this direction, some
initiatives of government are given below:
• Kisan-e-Mitra and an AI-powered chatbot, to assist farmers with queries about PM
Kisan Samman Nidhi (PMKISAN) and is evolving to assist with other government program.
• ICAR has established a Virtual Centre of Excellence on AI in Agriculture, and
developing mobile applications such as AI-DISC (for crop disease identification) and AI-
DISHA (for livestock disease diagnosis).
• National Pest Surveillance System for tracking the loss of produce due to climate
change.
• AI based analytics using field photographs for crop health assessment and crop
monitoring using satellite, weather & soil moisture datasets. This tool supports 61 crops and
over 400 pests combinations, and currently used by over 10,000 extension workers.
(d): A study conducted by ICAR-NIAP, New Delhi, titled 'Harvesting Benefits of Drone
Technology in Agriculture' during Kharif 2024 in Uttar Pradesh, reported a yield increase of
4.1% in paddy and 1.6% in sugarcane. Additionally, the labour cost of spraying using drones
was found to be 31.4% lower compared to conventional methods.
(e): The Government has launched key initiatives to ensure technology accessibility for
small and marginal farmers. Some of the schemes/initiatives by Ministry of Agriculture and
Farmers Welfare are:
(i) Digital Agriculture Mission, which deploys AI, big data, geospatial analytics, block chain
and digital platforms for enhanced crop monitoring, soil profiling, real-time weather forecasts,
and decision support.
(ii) Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM), provision of Custom Hiring Centres
(CHCs) under SMAM, and support for the 'Drone Didi' and 'Kisan Drones'.
(iii) Promotion of Affordable Farm Machinery through various schemes, the Government
promotes the manufacture and distribution of low-cost, efficient farm implements suitable for
small land holdings. Subsidies are provided to farmers and entrepreneurs for purchasing
such equipment.
2(iv) Capacity buildings and human resource development through a network of 731 Krishi
Vigyan Kendra (KVKs) under Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Agricultural
Technology Management Agency (ATMA), wherein technology assessment, demonstration
and capacity development are executed. The KVKs also provide inputs support of advanced
technologies though production and supply of quality seeds, planting materials, fingerlings,
improved animal and poultry germplasm.
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