Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the 'Bharat-VISTAAR' digital platform in Jaipur, marking a significant advancement in India's agricultural technology initiatives. As reported by Business Standard, the AI-based platform provides comprehensive agricultural information including weather updates, mandi prices, pest and disease management, soil health, crop advisory, and government schemes all in one integrated system. The platform will be accessible through multiple channels including phone calls, chatbot services, and a mobile application in its next phase.
The government's digital transformation extends beyond the new platform, with Chouhan announcing that the government will soon introduce a mobile application to help farmers assess soil health directly in their fields. According to reports from Business Standard, the minister stated that farmers will be able to stand in their fields and receive soil nutrient information and fertiliser application recommendations through their mobile phones. The technology aims to eliminate difficulties farmers currently face in obtaining soil health data, with Chouhan emphasizing the importance of using balanced fertilisers through this digital platform.
The new mobile application will replace the existing physical soil health card system currently used by farmers. As reported by Business Standard, around 26 crore soil health cards have been issued across the country as of March 2026, with these cards issued by respective state governments. The new digital platform is expected to provide more accessible and immediate soil health information to farmers, potentially improving the efficiency of fertiliser application decisions.
Chouhan expressed concern over the indiscriminate use of chemical fertilisers, particularly urea and DAP, which he said are gradually damaging soil health. According to Business Standard, the minister urged farmers to stop excessive fertiliser use, stating that excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides is gradually deteriorating soil health. He advocated for adoption of organic farming practices to naturally reduce dependency on chemical fertilisers, emphasizing that correct natural farming practices do not decrease production levels.
In Phase 1, 'Bharat-VISTAAR' will be launched in Hindi and English and will reach lakhs of farmers across several states, including Maharashtra, Bihar, and Gujarat. During the launch ceremony, Agriculture Ministers of various states, along with farmers from across the country, joined virtually through the network of ICAR, KVKs, agricultural universities, and other agricultural institutions. The ceremony was attended by Chief Minister of Rajasthan Bhajanlal Sharma, Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Bhagirath Choudhary, and senior officials of the Agriculture Department. On this occasion, Chouhan and Chief Minister Sharma also launched the 'AI for Agriculture Roadmap' and announced the 'AI Hackathon' and 'Agrikosh' initiatives.
