The Role of Information and Communication Technology in Agriculture

Indian agriculture has long been shaped by a simple but persistent problem: the right information rarely reaches the right farmer at the right time. A smallholder in Madhya Pradesh might make planting decisions based on last season’s memory, with no way of knowing current market prices or an incoming weather event. That information gap – between what farmers need to know and what they actually know – has historically cost them both yield and income. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is directly addressing this gap, transforming how agricultural knowledge, market data, and advisory services flow across India’s vast farming landscape.

What does ICT in agriculture actually mean? 🔗

Also known as e-Agriculture, ICT in farming refers to the use of digital tools – mobile networks, the internet, satellite communication, and software applications – to improve how information is created, shared, and used within the agricultural sector. It is not just about smartphones or internet access. It encompasses any technology that helps a farmer, extension worker, trader, or policymaker communicate better and make more informed decisions. The agricultural scene today increasingly requires the integration of temperature and moisture sensors, GPS technology, aerial images, and mobile advisory platforms – all of which fall under this broad umbrella.

Agriculture contributes roughly 17 percent of India’s GDP and employs a majority of its rural population. Yet for decades, the sector has been characterised by poor market connectivity, delayed information reaching farmers, fragmented landholdings, and low adoption of improved technology. ICT is increasingly the tool being used to resolve each of these structural weaknesses.

How ICT improves information flow in agriculture 🔗

The core value of ICT in farming lies in its ability to move information – accurately, quickly, and at scale. Three areas stand out where this flow has the most direct impact on farmers.

Weather and agro-meteorological advisories 🔗

Timely weather data directly determines when a farmer sows, irrigates, or harvests. Inaccurate or delayed forecasts translate into avoidable crop losses. ICT tools now provide district- and village-level weather forecasts through mobile apps and SMS services. The Meghdoot app provides crop- and location-specific advisories and has been downloaded over 300,000 times, while the government’s WINDS (Weather Information Network Data Systems) portal collects hyper-local weather data from automated stations at the Taluk and Gram Panchayat level to support crop insurance decisions and disaster mitigation. These tools give farmers the ability to plan proactively rather than react after damage has occurred.

Market intelligence and price information 🔗

One of the most chronic problems in Indian agriculture is that farmers sell without knowing the true market price. Middlemen exploit this information asymmetry, and farmers routinely receive less than they should. The National Agriculture Market (eNAM) platform now links more than 1,000 mandis across India, offering price data and market trends to over 1.7 crore registered farmers as of 2023. Mobile apps and online platforms also provide real-time commodity prices, allowing farmers to decide when and where to sell with full awareness of the prevailing market. ICT has the potential to widen the marketing horizon for farmers by connecting them directly with buyers, processors, and exporters, enabling fair returns and reducing intermediation costs.

Crop advisory and knowledge dissemination 🔗

Access to expert advice on pest management, soil health, seed selection, and crop rotation has historically been limited to farmers near agricultural universities or extension centers. ICT has broken that geographic barrier. Digital platforms bridge the gap between farmers and agricultural researchers and extension agents, providing a more cost-efficient method to improve smallholders’ knowledge of current agricultural practices. Farmers can now send a photo of a diseased crop through a mobile app and receive an expert diagnosis within hours. The Kisan Call Centre network handles queries in 22 local languages, ensuring that language is no barrier to accessing information.

Key government ICT initiatives driving change 🔗

India’s government has made digital agriculture a policy priority, with several flagship programs now operational across the country.

National e-Governance Plan in Agriculture (NeGP-A) 🔗

NeGP-A was launched to ensure rapid deployment of ICT in agriculture, providing farmers with a single-window portal for information on schemes, advisories, and services. It has supported the rollout of computer training labs, digital connectivity infrastructure, and state-level project management units to oversee implementation in rural areas.

Kisan Sarathi and ICAR’s digital extension 🔗

The Kisan Sarathi digital agricultural extension platform currently delivers agro-advisory services to around 20 million farmers across India. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has also developed the KISAAN 2.0 app, which serves as a single access point for over 300 mobile apps developed by different ICAR institutes – consolidating what was previously a fragmented information ecosystem into one platform.

Digital Agriculture Mission and AgriStack 🔗

The government has announced the development of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for agriculture as an open-source, interoperable system to enable farmer-centric solutions covering crop planning, health monitoring, access to inputs and credit, market intelligence, and crop insurance. This AgriStack infrastructure includes three core registries – a Farmer Registry, a Geo-referencing of Village Map Registry, and a Crop Sown Registry – the last of which is being piloted in 12 states. In January 2025, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology launched AgriHub in partnership with IIT Indore as an AI-driven center of excellence to further accelerate this digital transformation.

Private sector and the e-Choupal model 🔗

Government programs alone cannot cover the full range of farmer needs, and the private sector has played an important complementary role. ITC’s e-Choupal program, which began in 2000, connects farmers directly with markets through internet-enabled kiosks in rural areas, operated by local farmers known as sanchalaks. This model democratized market access in villages that had no prior connectivity to formal markets. More recently, platforms like AgriBazaar, DeHaat, and Ninjacart have taken a full-stack approach – connecting input procurement, crop advisory, and output marketing in integrated digital ecosystems. The India Agritech market was valued at approximately USD 815 million in 2024 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 13.5 percent through 2033, reflecting the scale of investment flowing into this space.

ICT’s role in decision-making and resource management 🔗

Beyond information access, ICT is changing the quality of decisions farmers make on a day-to-day basis. Precision farming technologies – including IoT-based soil sensors, drone-based crop monitoring, and satellite imagery – generate data that drives targeted inputs rather than blanket application. Technologies like drones, sensors, and data analytics help monitor soil health, crop growth, and pest activity, optimizing resource use and boosting productivity. This matters enormously given that over-use of fertilizers and water is both a financial burden for small farmers and an environmental concern.

Digital supply chain tools further reduce post-harvest losses – estimated at approximately INR 92,651 crore annually for all commodities in India, according to an ICAR-CIPET report. By improving coordination from farm to market, ICT reduces spoilage, cold chain failures, and transit delays. Financial services delivered through digital platforms – including credit, crop insurance enrollment, and direct benefit transfers – have also helped farmers manage risk more systematically. Under PM-KISAN and PM Fasal Bima Yojana, Aadhaar-based authentication has enabled direct bank transfers, eliminating leakages that previously reduced the value reaching farmers.

Challenges that still need to be addressed 🔗

The progress is real, but so are the obstacles. Rural tele-density in India stood at 59.19% as of March 2024, compared to 133.72% in urban areas – a gap that directly limits how many farmers can benefit from digital services. Digital literacy remains low in many farming communities, and with 89.4% of agricultural households owning less than two hectares of land, the cost-benefit calculation for adopting advanced ICT tools often does not favor small farmers without subsidies or shared-use models. Language barriers persist too, with many platforms still primarily available in English rather than regional languages.

Addressing these gaps requires a coordinated approach. Bridging the digital divide between rural and urban India, localizing data and applications in regional languages, and lowering technology costs for small farmers are among the most critical steps for ensuring that ICT delivers inclusive, not just aggregate, agricultural development.

The road ahead: AI, IoT, and the next wave 🔗

The next generation of agricultural ICT is already being deployed. AI-driven crop management systems analyze large datasets to predict pest outbreaks, assess crop health, and generate yield forecasts, while blockchain-based contracts help ensure timely payments and transparent supply chain tracking. IoT devices monitor soil moisture, ambient temperature, and crop conditions in real time. CGIAR’s Digital Inclusion Framework is currently being developed to measure and address the digital divide in agrifood systems while promoting gender equity in digital access. As these technologies mature and become more affordable, their potential to further reduce risk, improve productivity, and raise farmer incomes is substantial.

What makes ICT particularly powerful in agriculture is not any single technology but the combination – weather data informing irrigation decisions, market prices informing sell-timing, AI advisories informing input use, and digital finance reducing transaction friction. Each layer of information, when reliable and timely, compounds into meaningfully better outcomes for farmers and the broader food system.

What do you think? With over 60% of India’s rural population still facing connectivity challenges, what should be the top priority – expanding digital infrastructure, improving digital literacy, or making ICT tools available in more regional languages? And as AI and IoT become central to agricultural advisory services, how can policymakers ensure that the smallest and most vulnerable farmers are not left further behind?

References

1. https://theiashub.com/free-resources/mains-marks-booster/e-technology-in-agriculture
2. https://www.cropin.com/blogs/ict-in-agriculture/
3. http://www.computerscijournal.org/vol10no3/role-of-ict-in-agriculture-policy-implications/
4. https://www.cgiar.org/news-events/news/how-icts-are-shaping-sustainable-and-modern-farming-systems-in-india
5. https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/advancing-indian-farms-with-digital-solutions
6. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1946807
7. https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/india-agriculture-analytics-market-58748/
8. https://www.indiafarm.org/agriculture/extension/ict-role-agriculture/
9. https://www.pwc.in/ghost-templates/redefining-agriculture-through-artificial-intelligence.html