Today, there’s a distinct sense of peace and smile on the face of Ramsai Kavade, a farmer from the small village of Unchakot, Gram Panchayat Bharanda. Until recently, he was more worried about obtaining fertilizers and seeds from the cooperative society, the various offices he would have to visit to sell his crops, and how he would receive the benefits of government schemes than he was about farming. But today, Digital India and a remarkable initiative by the Chhattisgarh government have resolved all these complexities in his life in one fell swoop. All this has been made possible through the government’s digital agriculture initiative, “AgriStake,” which has come as a huge relief to thousands of farmers like Ramsai.
- Difficult paths became easy when ‘Farmer ID’ came in hand
Ramsai, a farmer from Narayanpur district, explains that previously, he faced numerous practical difficulties and lengthy procedures to procure fertilizers and seeds and sell his hard-earned produce on time during each farming season. Standing in queues for hours and completing paperwork was a major headache. But since Ramsai successfully registered on the AgriStake portal, his entire world has changed. Upon registration, he received a unique “Farmer ID.” Now, every detail related to his farming is recorded online. Ramsai, deeply elated, says, “Now, he no longer has to worry about fertilizer distribution, crop registration, or availing the benefits of any government scheme. The digital system has made everything so transparent and simple that farming has become even easier and more enjoyable.” Ramsai expresses his heartfelt gratitude to Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai for this unprecedented change and convenience.
- Registration done in a jiffy while sitting at home
For Ramsay, this process was nothing short of magical. He directlycgfr.agristack.gov.inHe logged into the portal and registered himself using the OTP verification received on his mobile phone. He then entered his personal information, bank account details, land details, and crop information online. As soon as his documents were verified, the portal handed him his magic key, the ‘Farmer ID.’ No need to visit any office or plead with any middleman.
- What is Agristek and what will you need?
According to Agriculture Department officials, the Agristek portal is a highly modern digital system that empowers farmers. Its biggest advantage is that farmers can register themselves from the comfort of their homes without any hassle. Four documents are required for registration: Aadhaar card, an activated mobile number linked to the identity card for OTP, bank passbook information, and land record details (Khasra/B-1).