Dept. of Space & Agriculture Dept. Sign MoU to Develop Krishi-DSS

According to an official press release, Union Agricultural Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh formally released the data products and services of the RISAT-1A satellite for the user community on Tuesday.

An MoU was signed between the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the Department of Space to develop the Krishi-Decision Support System (Krishi-DSS) using geospatial technologies and related databases to improve the evidence-based decision-making capability of all stakeholders in the agriculture sector, according to an official press release. "A new dimension is being added in the field of agriculture," Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on occasion. Through space science, a revolution in agriculture is being initiated. He stated that the agreement between the Departments of Agriculture and Space will strengthen the agriculture sector even more.

Farmers' output and productivity will increase if this information reaches them. The quality of production will improve, as will export opportunities. Tomar stated that agriculture is vital in our country and worldwide. Along with providing a living, this sector is working to boost the country's economy and employ many people. Previously, the industry suffered from a lack of knowledge and private investment. The necessary change, knowledge, and investment in this area has not occurred. This is why the agricultural sector has not advanced as much as it should.

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014, he expressed a desire to move the country forward, and efforts were made to connect it with new dimensions. As a result, all departments, including the Department of Space, altered their working methods, established fixed targets and devised effective targets. Its impact can still be seen in the country today," he said. He also mentioned that the agriculture department is working on AgriStack. Forecasting is being used to increase the farmer's income and save him from losses.

"Crop estimation, allotment to states, survey to declare an area dry, disaster assessment - all these tasks will become easy after adopting technology. This technology is extremely beneficial to both the agricultural sector and the country as a whole. "There will be a revolutionary change in agriculture after the completion of AgriStack," said Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State, told the audience that RISAT-1A data would be instrumental in developing decision support systems for agriculture, bioresources, the environment, water resources, and disaster management. He stated that efforts were made to facilitate this coordination and cooperation. "The main achievement in the last eight years under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi was to use science for Ease of Living, and it should be removed from the laboratory. 

He stated that the Prime Minister speaks of a "whole-of-government" approach and that today is an excellent example of this being achieved. Through this technique, the Ministries of Jal Shakti and Home Affairs have been linked, and the Ministry of Agriculture is now joining them. "When the next generation of RISAT satellites will come, they will have more frequency as well as accuracy. This collaboration should be expanded further," he added.

Manoj Ahuja, Secretary of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, S. Somnath, Chairman of ISRO and Space Commission, Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Secretary (DARE) and Director General (ICAR), and other senior officials, were in attendance. Representatives from various user Ministries/Departments attended the event online. Using RISAT-1A and VEDAS from the Department of Space, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is developing Krishi-DSS, a decision support system modelled after Gati Shakti to make a new one.