Krushak Odisha: Empowering Farmers with a Unified Digital Registry

Introduction

Agriculture sustains nearly half of India’s population, yet farmers often face hurdles in accessing welfare schemes due to fragmented records, duplication of beneficiaries, and the absence of a single source of truth. Governments too struggle to track genuine farmers, monitor outcomes, and deliver subsidies effectively.

A Unified Farmer Registry (UFR) addresses these challenges by creating a verified digital identity for each farmer, consolidating data across schemes, and enabling precision targeting of benefits. Globally, several countries have embraced this approach as the backbone of digital agriculture governance. Kenya established the National Farmers Registration System, enabling targeted subsidies, crop insurance, and extension services. Ethiopia rolled out a Farmer Information System to integrate landholding records and support input distribution and credit services. Rwanda implemented the Smart Nkunganire System (SNS) to digitize farmer profiles and ensure timely distribution of seeds and fertilizers.European Union maintains an integrated IACS (Integrated Administration and Control System), which links farmer identities with subsidy disbursement under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

India too is on this path, with initiatives like the National Farmers’ Database at the central level, integration with PM-KISAN, and progressive state-led efforts. Among these, Krushak Odisha (KO) stands out as a pioneering model—providing farmers with a verified, Aadhaar-authenticated digital identity and creating a single source of truth for agricultural governance.

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What is Krushak Odisha?

Krushak Odisha is a one-stop digital platform that provides every farmer in the state a verified identity and centralized access to agricultural benefits. Launched in 2020, KO represents India’s first large-scale effort to create a “Golden Record” database of farmers.

Unlike traditional family-based registries, KO is farmer-centric and inclusive—covering cultivators, sharecroppers, landless labourers, livestock farmers, and fishery farmers. With 100% Aadhaar seeding and verified bank details, KO eliminates duplication and ensures subsidies, disaster relief, and crop insurance reach genuine farmers without delay.

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Krushak Odisha and AgriStack: A State-Level Pioneer

At the national level, the Government of India is building AgriStack, a unified digital framework anchored on the Farmer Registry to streamline scheme delivery, credit access, and Agri-tech innovation. Krushak Odisha is fully aligned with this vision but also stands out as a state-level pioneer.

Unlike AgriStack, which is still in pilot stages, Krushak Odisha is already live and operational, covering over 8 million farmers and integrating with 17+ databases. Its inclusive design goes beyond landowners to include sharecroppers, landless labourers, livestock keepers, and fishery farmers. By powering platforms like Go Sugam (schemes, licenses, subsidies) and SAFAL (credit facilitation), it ensures farmers benefit directly from verified, real-time data.

This makes Krushak Odisha not just a digital registry but a functioning ecosystem—a model of how farmer databases can transform service delivery. As AgriStack scales nationally, Odisha’s initiative serves as a blueprint for inclusive, integrated, and impact-driven agricultural governance.

Key Features

Unified Coverage: Over 8.2 million farmers consolidated into one verified system.
Data Integration: Linked with 17+ external databases including Bhulekh (land records), PPAS/MPAS, PMFBY, Seed DBT, Fertilizer Management, Soil Health Cards.
Real-Time Validation: Automated anomaly detection and de-duplication ensure authenticity.
Krushak Parichaya Patra: A unique farmer ID card enabling easy access to government services.
ADAPT Portal Integration: A decision support system for policymakers to monitor crop coverage, insurance claims, weather patterns, and scheme performance.
Integration with Go Sugam and SAFAL:

Go Sugam leverages KO data to streamline farmer access to licenses, registrations, subsidies, and Agri-services through a unified portal.
SAFAL (Simplified Application for Agricultural Loans) uses KO’s verified farmer database to help banks process credit and loan applications faster, with assured authenticity of farmer credentials.

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Strategic Gains for Farmers and Government

For Farmers

One Identity: Eliminates repeated verification for every scheme.
Faster Access: Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) with Aadhaar-linked accounts.
Inclusivity: Covers small, marginal, landless, and allied sector farmers.
Agro-Advisory: Personalized advisories based on verified profiles.

For Government

Accurate Beneficiary Mapping: No duplication, better targeting.
Policy Insights: Data-backed decisions for budgeting and planning.
Transparency & Accountability: Real-time dashboards to monitor service delivery.
Impact Assessment: Clear visibility into scheme outcomes and farmer welfare.

The Impact that speaks for itself!

8.24 million farmers consolidated into the golden record database
6.1 million farmers verified with land details from Bhulekh.
8 million land parcels digitally mapped.
3.4 million agricultural labourers and 1.3 million marginal labourers included.
Faster loan approvals via SAFAL and easier scheme access via Go Sugam.
Improved efficiency in procurement of paddy, millets, oilseeds, and pulses.
Faster delivery of subsidies, crop insurance, and disaster relief payments.

Krushak Odisha is more than a registry—it is the foundation of a digital agriculture ecosystem. By consolidating farmer identities, streamlining benefit delivery, and enabling real-time policy insights, KO empowers farmers, strengthens transparency, and builds resilience in the agricultural sector.

As India advances towards Agriculture 4.0, Krushak Odisha sets a model for other states and countries—a shining example of how digital governance can transform the lives of millions of farmers and ensure no one is left behind.

AUTHOR:

Tapaswini Swain

Lead-Marketing Communications, Marketing