To commemorate the successful launch of Chandrayaan-3 Mission, and soft landing of the Vikram Lander and deployment of the Pragyaan Rover on the Moon on 23rd August, 2023, the Government of India has declared 23rd Day of August of every year as the National Space Day (NSpD). With this achievement, India has joined the elite group of Space fairing nations becoming only the fourth to land on the surface of the Moon, and the first nation to land near the south pole of the Moon.

To mark this special day in the history of the Indian Space Program, the Department of Space is organizing nation-wide celebrations during August, 2024 to engage and inspire the youth of the Nation towards space science and its applications with the theme “Touching lives while touching the Moon: India's Space Saga”

On the auspicious occasion, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare organized a conference on the pivotal role of space technology in propelling India’s agricultural sector towards unprecedented growth and development. The conference also marked the launch of the digital geo-spatial platform, Krishi-Decision Support System, a significant milestone in the country’s agricultural innovation landscape by Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Shri Bhagirath Choudhary in the presence of Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi.

Krishi-DSS is a first-of-its-kind geospatial platform specifically designed for Indian agriculture. The platform provides seamless access to comprehensive data including satellite images, weather information, reservoir storage, groundwater levels and soil health information, which can be easily accessed from anywhere at any time.

Krishi-DSS includes several advanced modules designed to support comprehensive agricultural management. From the vast expanse of fields to the smallest soil particle, Krishi-DSS has it covered.

With crop mapping and monitoring, we will be able to understand cropping patterns by analysing parcel-level crop maps over the different years. This information helps in understanding crop rotation practices and promotes sustainable agriculture by encouraging the cultivation of diverse crops.

Drought monitoring will helps to stay ahead of the drought, which gives near real-time information on various indicators i.e soil moisture, water storages, crop condition, dry spells etc, while crop weather watch will keep us informed about how weather is impacting the crops, crop harvest status, crop residue burning etc.

With Field parcel segmentation, we will be able to accurate field parcel units which will help in understanding each parcels unique needs, cropping patterns for targeted interventions.

One nation-one soil information system gives a comprehensive soil data at your fingertips i.e soil type, soil pH, soil health etc. Soil data will help us in assessing crop suitability and land capability for implementing soil water conservation measures.

Ground truth data library of Krishi-DSS will foster innovation by providing essential resources like ground truth data and spectral libraries for different crops to the researchers and industry.

From flood impact assessment to Crop insurance solutions and many more, Krishi-DSS is a holistic solution. It's about empowering our farmers, informing our policies, and nourishing our nation.

By integrating various data sources available on the Krishi Decision Support System (DSS), various farmer-centric solutions can be developed such as right individual advisories to farmers, early disaster warning like Pest attack, Heavy rain, Hail storm etc.

Krishi-DSS is more than just a tool, it's a catalyst for innovation and sustainability in agriculture. Together, we'll build a resilient, sustainable, and prosperous agriculture for India.

Officers/delegates form Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Department of Space, ISRO centres, various central Agencies (IMD, CWC, NWIC, NIC, ICAR, SLUSI, MNCFC) State Remote sensing Centres, State agriculture department, Institutes/Universities, Agri-Tech industry participated in the Event.

The programme included various technical sessions showcasing the current status of utilization of Space Technology in agriculture sector and demonstration of the various Portal of ISRO for accessing the satellite based data products. The panel discussions were also organized to discuss the possible uses cases of the Space technology in the field of agriculture.

The distinguished gathering of policy makers, scientists, industry leaders, and researchers are emphasizing the immense potential of space technology to address the challenges of Indian agriculture and ensure food security for a growing population.

Key Highlights of the Conference:

• Harnessing Space Technology for Agricultural Advancement: The conference showcased the latest advancements in satellite remote sensing, Geo-spatial technology and their applications in precision agriculture, crop monitoring, disaster management, and soil health management.
• Launch of Krishi-DSS: The geo-spatial platform, Krishi-DSS, was unveiled as a powerful tool to empower stakeholders with real-time data-driven insights on weather patterns, soil conditions, crop health, crop acreage and advisories.
• Public-Private Partnerships: The conference underscored the importance of collaboration between the government, private sector and academia in accelerating the adoption of space technology in agriculture.
• Farmer-Centric Approach: The event emphasized the need to create user-friendly solutions and capacity building programs to ensure that the benefits of space technology reach the grassroots level.

Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare has been pro-active in harnessing the potential of Space Technology for the various Applications i.e Crop production forecasting, drought monitoring, Crop health assessment and in Crop insurance solutions and in future also Department is committed to leveraging space technology for the betterment of Indian agriculture and is dedicated to working closely with all stakeholders to achieve this goal.

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