Latest news with #AgriStack
Business Recorder
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
IT minister hails Agri Stack as transformative platform
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja hailed the Agri Stack as a transformative platform for Pakistan's agriculture sector during her visit to the Land Information and Management System (LIMS) facility. Developed by LIMS as a complete digital ecosystem and e-commerce platform under the Ministry of IT and Telecom (MoITT), Agri Stack aims to modernise agriculture through real-time advisory, land intelligence, and AI-driven solutions. Accompanied by the director general of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), the minister reviewed the live demonstration of Agri Stack, which currently serves over two million farmers. The system has already contributed to saving Rs5 billion through automated pest attack mitigation—most notably during the whitefly outbreak in 2023. DG LIMS Maj Gen Muhammad Ayub Ahsan received the delegation, while Dr Col Waqar briefed attendees on the role of LIMS in enhancing food security and transforming land management. Discussions also covered a suite of digital tools including the Pak Sar Zameen Card, a GIS/remote-sensing-based smart card enabling farmers to access land records, subsidies, and agri-advisories. The visit also spotlighted broader initiatives such as promoting tech-based job creation for youth in agriculture, smartphone distribution, improved digital connectivity, and the use of AI for crop yield prediction. A proposal to form a steering group to coordinate and support LIMS in scaling these innovations was tabled during the meeting. Minister Shaza emphasised that LIMS must be fully accessible via smart phones, enabling real-time access to land records and location tracking for users across Pakistan. She highlighted the importance of digital integration in land governance to boost transparency and ease of access. The DG SIFC noted that LIMS reflects the Whole-of-Government approach, jointly driven by the SIFC and Pakistan's Armed Forces, and reaffirmed the Council's commitment to a tech-enabled and sustainable future for the country's agricultural and environmental landscape. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hans India
01-08-2025
- Business
- Hans India
FPOs must harness tech to boost farm income: Collector
Tirupati: District Collector Dr S Venkateswar urged Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to embrace modern technology to maximise income and transform agriculture into a profitable venture. Speaking at a review meeting at the Collectorate on Thursday, he said the administration was actively working to support FPOs by facilitating access to bank loans and subsidies to procure advanced agricultural machinery. The Collector said that FPOs should fully utilise government schemes and policies to drive their growth. 'We will take appropriate measures based on a clear understanding of FPO operations and their needs,' he assured. Calling for coordinated action from all departments, he stressed the goal of making farming a viable livelihood for farmers. A key highlight of the meeting was the emphasis on the use of drones and other smart technologies to enhance agricultural productivity. Dr Venkateswar noted the need to diversify cropping patterns, encouraging farmers to cultivate millets in addition to traditional crops. He noted that horticulture crops were currently generating higher returns than traditional agriculture, and instructed officials to ensure both sectors are equally remunerative. As part of a broader push towards tech-driven farming, the Collector announced workshops for agriculture and allied department officials on emerging tools like Agri Stack and Artificial Intelligence (AI). He explained that Agri Stack was a unified digital repository that integrates key datasets such as farmer registries, geo-referenced village maps, and crop sown data. These datasets, unified through the Unified Farmer Service Interface, can be securely accessed by banks, insurance companies, agri-tech firms and government agencies. 'AI, when integrated with these datasets, has the power to radically transform farming practices,' he said, citing applications like multilingual chatbots, precision farming tools, real-time analytics, and image-based pest and disease diagnostics. He also unveiled a new mobile interface named APAIMS, designed to serve as a one-stop digital platform for farmers. This interface provides a host of services, including pest alerts through crop photo mapping and relevant spray recommendations. Joint Collector Shubham Bansal, District Agriculture Officer S Prasad Rao, District Horticulture Officer B Dasharatha Rami Reddy, Animal Husbandry Officer A Ravi Kumar and other senior officials attended the meeting.
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
RRB digitisation push: Nabard to complete IT integration of merged rural banks by Sep 30; New tech, stacks and digital pilots aimed at bridging rural-urban divide
AI image The IT integration of recently amalgamated Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) under the 'One State One RRB' framework is likely to be completed by September 30, Nabard Chairman Shaji KV said on Monday. Speaking at a CII event, Shaji said the RRB amalgamation exercise, which took effect on May 1, aimed at enhancing scale efficiency and cost rationalisation across rural banking services. Post-merger, there are now 28 RRBs operating in 26 states and 2 Union Territories, with a combined network of over 22,000 branches covering 700 districts, according to PTI. 'As of May 1, the integration of RRBs at the state level has been completed. IT integration is expected to be finalised by September,' Shaji said. He added that Nabard (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) is building a common digital infrastructure with the RRBs, rolling out credit platforms and government data systems to expand outreach in rural India. However, he acknowledged persistent challenges, including low internet bandwidth and limited awareness, but noted that collaborative efforts are underway with various organisations to resolve them. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2 & 3 BHK Homes Near SGNP at Ghodbundar Rd Purva Panorama Click Here Undo by Taboola by Taboola Highlighting the broader digital roadmap, Shaji said Nabard is working to digitise agricultural value chains—about 20 of which are already in place—and bring more farmers, especially those without formal land records, into the formal banking system. To further enhance reach and transparency, Nabard is also deploying blockchain-based crop traceability systems and strengthening Business Correspondent (BC) networks in rural areas. The chairman said the government is also building additional technology stacks like the Agri Stack, Fisheries Stack, and Cooperative Stack. The 'Cooperative Stack' aims to integrate various rural schemes via Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), creating a unified system for benefit delivery. He noted that Nabard is leading the cooperative digitisation effort, with around 70,000 societies already digitised. It is also supporting pilots in partnership with NGOs and FinTechs through the Financial Inclusion Fund. Addressing the rural-urban income imbalance, Shaji pointed out that two-thirds of India's population contributes only one-third of the national income. Nabard is actively working on solutions to narrow this gap and transform farmers into agribusiness entrepreneurs. Additionally, the institution is setting up a sandbox environment that will allow fintechs to access anonymised data for developing rural-focused solutions, he added. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Hindustan Times
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Third Mumbai farmers foil land takeover bid, govt withdraws controversial notices
NAVI MUMBAI: In a major victory for farmers in Uran, the Maharashtra government has withdrawn controversial notices that threatened to take over agricultural land left fallow for two consecutive years. The decision came after a massive protest march on Thursday to the Uran tehsil office, where villagers alleged a backdoor attempt to forcibly acquire their land under the guise of a central government scheme. Navi Mumbai, India - July 3, 2025:Sudhakar Patil explaining the provisions of Govt resolution to Tahsildar Third Mumbai villagers protest succeeds in getting `acquisition of uncultivated landÕ notices withdrawn in Navi Mumbai, India, on Thursday, July 3, 2025. (Photo by Bachchan Kumar/ HT PHOTO) (HT PHOTO) The farmers, under the banner of the MMRDA KSC Navnagar Virodhi Shetkari Samiti Raigad, accused the state of misusing the Agri Stack initiative—a digital land record and agriculture database scheme—to dispossess them of their ancestral land for the ambitious Karnala-Sai-Chirner New Town project, also dubbed 'Third Mumbai'. Over 124 villages across Uran, Panvel and Pen talukas are opposing the proposed township, which they claim is being designed to benefit powerful builders and developers at the cost of local communities. 'The notices were a ploy to declare our lands abandoned and hand them over for urban development,' said Sudhakar Patil, president of the committee. According to Patil, farmers began receiving show-cause notices from June 26, demanding an explanation for leaving land uncultivated for two years. The notices warned that failure to respond within four days would be interpreted as consent, and the government would proceed to take over the plots. 'This is nothing short of land grabbing,' Patil said. 'The government made no attempt to understand why the land wasn't cultivated—whether it was because of sea water ingress, mangrove growth, flooding, or declining fertility due to industrial pollution. Instead of helping us revive our soil, they want to hand it over to capitalists.' After the farmers marched to the Uran tehsildar's office, the local administration was forced to backtrack. In a written communication to the farmers, Uran Tehsildar Uddhav Kadam confirmed that the notices had been withdrawn. 'The intent was to encourage participation in the Agri Stack scheme, which is meant to benefit farmers. However, there was a misunderstanding that it was a land acquisition move. Hence, we have cancelled the notices,' Kadam said. The victory has boosted the morale of villagers who say they are already reeling under the impact of large-scale infrastructure projects such as CIDCO's NAINA scheme and the Navi Mumbai airport. 'We've lost homes, farms, and entire villages. Our houses have been declared illegal and demolished. Now they want to snatch away what little land we have left,' said Rupesh Patil, general secretary of the farmers' committee. The farmers have vowed to continue their resistance against the New Town project, which they say threatens to erase rural communities in favour of real estate profits.
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Samadhan day to be held twice a month in every village: Itankar
Nagpur: The third and fourth Wednesdays of every month will be observed as Samadhan Day in every village across the district. The initiative aims to directly address and resolve citizen grievances at the village level through the active presence of talathis, gram sevaks, and other local government officials, said district collector Vipin Itankar. The announcement was made during a workshop held at the District Planning Hall on Tuesday, where Itankar addressed circle officers and talathis, emphasizing the importance of responsiveness and accountability in rural administration. Additional district collector Pravin Mahire, resident deputy district collector Anup Khande, and senior officials from the zilla parishad and revenue department were also present. "Schemes like Panand road development, encroachment resolution, crop loans, and the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana have a direct bearing on rural livelihoods. When implemented transparently and promptly, they reduce the scope for complaints," said Itankar. You Can Also Check: Nagpur AQI | Weather in Nagpur | Bank Holidays in Nagpur | Public Holidays in Nagpur He stressed that village-level officers are the face of the government in rural areas and that their duty readiness sets the tone for public trust. He urged officials to be present and fully engaged on Samadhan Day, ensuring that all citizens who come forward with grievances receive timely redressal and assistance. Itankar also called for the faster implementation of tribal welfare schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Dharti Aaba Yojana and Vanpatta distribution. He highlighted the role of AgriStack in bringing transparency to agricultural services and underlined the importance of resolving long-standing Panand road disputes through local mediation. A circular will soon be issued mandating the regular presence of talathis and gram sevaks in their respective villages on Samadhan Days.
