Digital Fertility Map

In News

Recently, Bihar’s Kishanganj got a digital fertility map and farmers are raising concerns about this.

Digital Fertility Map

• It has been prepared by the scientists of Bihar Agriculture University (BAU), Sabour, in Bhagalpur district. 
• It is prepared using data and maps compiled using field surveys backed up by remote sensing and other environmental data, expert opinion and laboratory analysis.
• There are growing concerns pointed out by the agricultural experts. Thus, farmers are worried about the growing digitalisation of farming.

Significance

• Farmers can now easily decide which crops they should grow in particular areas for better gains. 
• They can introduce new crops and easily go for crop diversifications.
• They can also decide about the exact dose of fertilisers after knowing the fertility level of their soil.  Thus, it prevents decline in fertility of agricultural land.
• The soil fertility level helps farmers to decide about the selection of crops on the basis of rainfalls and climate.
• 300 days of farmer employment: The private players, if they are involved, will go for crop diversification which will give at least 300 days of employment to farmers.

Challenges

• Private companies could exploit the data: The growing digitisation of land records and their fertility details could be exploited by private companies and big corporate houses for various purposes, such as land acquisition and predatory lending, leaving farmers in crisis.
• Farmers will be most affected and might end up giving away their land as well: Marginal farmers fear their agricultural land snatched away by the government as mostly  are dependent on farming for survival.
• Disruption in Crop patterns: Crop patterns will be decided on the will of Corporate Companies will not go towards welfare as their main aim is profits.
• Taking off from traditional crops is not always beneficial: Kishanganj has been known for two traditional crops, jute farming and paddy cultivation. Of late though, efforts are on to turn it into a hub of tea and pineapple plantation.
• Issue of Water Management: Kishanganj and Bihar’s entire north-eastern region have been facing flood devastations every year and the first priority of the government should be better water management and flood control.
• Such Contract farming will lead to ownership fights: This would lead to a fight for land ownership after the companies had acquired farmers’ land.
• Low market price: Overproduction of crops will result in low market prices of farm produce to farmers.
• Farmers Lacking awareness: Farmers were poor despite having large plots of land since they did not have resources and expertise.

Way Forward

• Confidence Building measures need to be taken by involving farmers and all the stakeholders.
• The Data Protection regime should be strengthened so that data related to land would not be misused by the corporations.
• Necessary awareness needs to be provided to the farmers.
• Robust grievance redressal mechanisms need to be established at the District level.

Source: DTE