- Why in news
- On 29 June 2026, PIB published a explainer on the Kisan Sarathi platform, giving reach figures as of 25 June 2026: 2.95 crore registered farmers and 610 schemes listed.
- What it is
- Kisan Sarathi is a digital agro-advisory platform launched in July 2021 by MeitY and the Agriculture Ministry. It uses the Interactive Information Dissemination System (IIDS) for two-way talk between farmers and experts. It brings advisories, weather, mandi prices and scheme information onto one interface.
- Implementing agencies
- The Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute and the Digital India Corporation implement the platform.
- Technology behind it
- It runs on IIDS, a two-way communication platform for farmers and experts, supporting lab-to-land transfer of knowledge.
- Integrated platforms
- It integrates Kisan Call Centre, Common Service Centre, IMD, MyScheme and BHASHINI.
- Scheme coverage
- As of 25 June 2026, 610 schemes are listed, of which 102 are central government schemes.
Don’t confuse with Kisan Sarathi vs Kisan Call Centre: Kisan Call Centre is one voice-based access channel and is integrated into Kisan Sarathi, which is the wider platform with app, web, WhatsApp and CSC access.
Don’t confuse with Kisan Sarathi vs PM-KISAN: PM-KISAN is an income-support scheme. Kisan Sarathi is an advisory platform that lets farmers check the status of schemes such as PM-KISAN.
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
- Strengthens agricultural extension by linking farmers directly to KVK, ICAR and university experts in local languages.
- Gives policymakers real-time field data and dashboards for evidence-based planning.
Problems
- Smartphone access, connectivity and digital literacy vary across farmers.
- Most registrations (2.89 crore of 2.95 crore) came through KVKs, with few through the app or web portal, so digital uptake is limited.
Way forward
- Raise app and web use through digital literacy and assisted access at CSCs.
- Expand advisories beyond the 34 States/UTs and 351 commodities now covered, and keep the quality of expert responses high.
- 2015Mains GS3 · Q4How Digital India helps farmers improve productivity and income, and government steps
- 2023Mains GS3 · Q3How e-Technology helps farmers in production and marketing of produce
- 2026Mains GS3 · Q4How e-commerce reduces inefficiency in agri-produce marketing
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Digital agro-advisory platform with implementing bodies; schemes drew 52 Prelims questions, but this is a background explainer.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.