In a recent interview with Geospatial World, Milind Wadodkar, Chief Soil Survey Officer of the Soil & Land Use Survey of India, discussed the vital role of geospatial data and technology in providing farmers with valuable knowledge about their crops, farmland, and soil. He highlighted how this information can empower them to take advantage of government schemes.
Wadodkar elaborated on the various schemes and portals developed under the Ministry of Agriculture to help Indian farmers understand their land and the suitability of crops for cultivation.
Under the umbrella of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Soil & Land Use Survey of India has been contributing to soil survey and watershed mapping for over 65 years, making it one of the oldest and largest Soil Survey Institutes in the country.
Wadodkar emphasized the organization’s significant accomplishments, such as the development of the watershed Atlas of India and comprehensive soil mapping on different scales, including the micron and detailed levels.
He also shed light on the ongoing Soil Health Card Scheme, which aims to cover the entire agricultural area of the country and provide valuable soil-related data for effective crop planning and conservation measures.
Furthermore, Wadodkar detailed the National One Soil Unified Information System, which aims to digitally centralize all soil-related information for accessibility to various stakeholders, ultimately supporting informed decision-making in agriculture.
Wadodkar also mentioned the upcoming Krishi DSS project, emphasizing its potential to revolutionize Indian agriculture by providing farmers with comprehensive information about their farmlands through mobile phones, primarily driven by geospatial technology.
The integration of high-end satellite data and advanced AI/ML techniques will contribute to the development of a robust decision support system within the Krishi DSS.
Ultimately, the project will serve as a one-stop platform for crucial farm-related information and government programs, aligning with the vision of the Ministry of Agriculture to create a digital public infrastructure comparable to Aadhaar and Digi Locker.