Andhra Pradesh taps digital tools to near pulses cultivation target

Andhra Pradesh has achieved close to 99% of its pulses cultivation target even as El Niño conditions posed a challenge to farming, Agriculture Minister Atchannaidu has said.

The minister attributed the progress to a set of digital initiatives being rolled out in the state's agriculture sector. These include AgriStack, a digital crop survey, and a digital, crop-based fertiliser distribution system.

AgriStack is intended to build a unified digital identity and database for farmers and their landholdings, while the digital crop survey is used to map and monitor cultivation. The crop-based fertiliser distribution system links the supply of fertiliser to the crops being grown.

Speaking on the outcomes of these programmes, Atchannaidu highlighted their role in supporting farmers and in helping the state track and meet its cultivation goals. The near-complete achievement of the pulses target was cited as evidence of the systems working on the ground.

The state's performance comes against the backdrop of El Niño weather conditions, which are generally associated with weaker monsoon rainfall and can affect sowing and yields across crops.