Technology to Unite, Empower, and Strengthen the Agricultural Ecosystem

 

Bridging Technology, Expertise, and Farmer Needs

Kisan Sarathi, launched in July 2021, is India’s largest integrated digital agro-advisory platform. It provides timely, authentic, and multilingual advisories to farmers. Farmers also get access to schemes, weather updates, and expert consultations. It is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology and the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute and the Digital India Corporation implement the platform.

• The platform uses the Interactive Information Dissemination System (IIDS). IIDS enables two-way communication between farmers and experts. It supports lab-to-land transfer of agricultural knowledge.
• Kisan Sarathi app connects farmers with:

1. 730+ Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs)
2. 100+ ICAR institutes
3. 65+ agricultural universities

 

The integration of these institutions creates a strong national agricultural advisory ecosystem. It helps deliver reliable and localized support to farmers across India.

• Conventionally, farmers often had to rely on multiple channels for advisory services, weather forecasts, and scheme-related information. Kisan Sarathi addresses this challenge by integrating key digital platforms and enabling faster, easier, and more reliable access to essential services. Key Digital Platforms are:

• Kisan Call Centre
• Common Service Centre
• India Meteorological Department
• MyScheme
• BHASHINI

 

The integration of these national platforms brings critical agricultural services onto a single digital interface.

 

• Farmers across India have varying levels of smartphone access, internet connectivity, and digital literacy. By offering multiple access channels, Kisan Sarathi ensures that no farmer is excluded from timely advisory support. Farmers can access Kisan Sarathi through:

1. Kisan Call Centres
2. Common Service Centres
3. Web Portal
4. WhatsApp
5. Mobile App

 

How does Kisan Sarathi Help Farmers?

 

• Kisan Sarathi connects farmers directly with agricultural experts.
• Farmers can get region-specific, real-time advisories on weather updates, market prices, and more.
• The Kisan Sarathi platform helps farmers discover government schemes suitable to their specific needs. They can also gain information on the status of various government schemes, such as PM-KISAN.
• It covers both state/UT schemes and union government schemes. As of June 25, 2026, there are 610 schemes available for access on this portal, of which 102 are central government schemes.
• Advisories are available for all major cereals, pulses, oilseeds, horticulture crops, plantation crops, and fodder crops. Advisories are also available for the livestock, poultry, fisheries, and allied sectors.
• Farmers can raise queries to KVK experts and receive advice in their local languages.
• Farmers can join training sessions and video consultations.
• Farmers can easily access the mandi prices and district-wise market rates for major crops. They can also view the market trends for selected crops.

 

Key Features of the Kisan Sarathi Platform and Services Offered

 

• The Kisan Sarathi platform offers the following features to its users:

1. Personalized advisory based on farm and farmer profile
2. Live interaction in 13 regional languages with domain experts
3. Call facilities and conferencing support as per the farmer’s needs
4. Access to the farmer’s knowledge database
5. Push alert messages specific to the farmer’s location and domain
6. Easy registration through toll-free mobile number and web

 

IIDS: The Technology Behind Kisan Sarathi

 

• Kisan Sarathi is powered by the Interactive Information Dissemination System (IIDS). IIDS is a two-way communication platform. It enables seamless interaction between farmers and experts.
• Communications can occur via voice call, video call, text, image, and video exchange via chat.

 

• Core functions of the IIDS are:

1. Farmers can subscribe to selected services
2. Farmers receive personalized advisories
3. Farmers can modify subscriptions anytime
4. Experts access the farmer’s history and past interactions
5. Advisories are tailored to farmers’ needs

 

• Unique selling points of IIDS are:

1. Farmer calls are received at a centralized server.
2. Queries are routed to relevant experts.
3. Query history is stored for future reference.
4. Experts access a knowledge database.
5. The system follows the Know Your Farmer (KYF) approach.
6. This improves the accuracy and relevance of advisories.

 

Kisan Sarathi Reach and Beneficiary Coverage

 

• As of 25 June 2026, Kisan Sarathi services are available in 37 States/UTs, across 768 districts and 6.63 lakh villages.
• Kisan Sarathi has a network of 4,767 ICAR scientists and 113 ICAR institutes.
• The platform has 2.95 crore registered farmers, of which 56.16 lakh are women beneficiaries.
• 2.89 crore farmers registered themselves by visiting the nearest KVK. 5.35 lakh joined via Kisan Call Centres, 21,517 through mobile applications, 2,416 through the web portal, and 39,193 through Common Service Centres.
• The platform has handled 19.21 lakh queries to date.
• Kisan Sarathi has released 21,900 advisories so far, covering 351 commodities in 34 States/UTs.

 

 

Benefits for Other Agricultural Stakeholders

 

Kisan Sarathi creates a connected agricultural ecosystem that benefits other agricultural stakeholders such as experts, institutions, and policymakers.

 

• ICAR Institutions and Universities

Research institutions benefit from stronger outreach and wider dissemination of scientific advisories. The platform also improves knowledge sharing and enhances the practical application of research.

 

• KVKs and Agricultural Experts

Kisan Sarathi enables faster farmer outreach and more efficient advisory delivery. It improves query resolution and strengthens the transfer of technology from lab to field.

 

• Policymakers and Administrators

The platform provides access to real-time field insights, dashboards, and analytics. This supports evidence-based policy planning and strengthens agricultural extension systems.

 

Driving the Future of Digital Agriculture

 

Kisan Sarathi represents a significant step in the digital transformation of India's agricultural extension system. The platform enhances collaboration among farmers, research institutions, extension agencies, and policymakers, creating a more connected and responsive agricultural ecosystem. Its multilingual interface, multiple access channels, and two-way communication model have strengthened the delivery of need-based agricultural information nationwide.

 

With expanding digital infrastructure and farmer participation, Kisan Sarathi strengthens knowledge dissemination and enables informed farm-level decision-making. Through technology-enabled advisory and institutional convergence, the platform is contributing to a more resilient, productive, and digitally empowered agricultural sector.

 

 

References

 

Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology

https://kisansarathi.in/

https://ks-aams-web.digitalindiacorporation.in/about-us

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1736155&reg=48&lang=2

 

Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation

https://www.pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=2132330&reg=48&lang=2

The Kisan Sarathi Platform

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PIB Research

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