Description

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Picture Courtesy: INDIAN EXPRESS

Context:

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare plans to launch CROPIC, a study to collect crop information using field photographs and AI-based models.

About CROPIC

The Collection of Real-time Observations & Photo of Crops (CROPIC) utilize modern technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and crowdsourcing to bring efficiency and transparency in the agricultural sector.

The project is initially planned as a pilot study for the Kharif 2025 and Rabi 2025-26 seasons, with a nationwide rollout expected from 2026.

How CROPIC Works?

Data Collection => Farmers and field officials will use a dedicated CROPIC mobile application to take geo-tagged photographs of crops at various stages of their growth cycle (4-5 times per season).

Crowdsourcing Model => This method of collecting images directly from the fields ensures a high volume of real-time, location-specific data.

AI-Powered Analysis => The collected photographs are uploaded to an AI-based cloud platform, then, sophisticated algorithms analyze the images to extract crucial information, including:

Crop type and its current growth stage.
Health of the crop.
Assessment of any visible damage or stress.

Visualization Dashboard => The analyzed information is then presented on a web-based dashboard for easy interpretation by government officials and other stakeholders.

Significance

The primary goal of CROPIC is to enhance the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), the government's flagship crop insurance scheme.

A major challenge in crop insurance is the accurate and timely assessment of crop damage. CROPIC aims to automate this process. When a farmer reports a loss, officials can use the app to capture photographic evidence, which the AI model will analyze to verify the extent of the damage.

By automating loss assessment, CROPIC is expected to reduce the time taken to process and pay insurance claims to affected farmers, thereby fostering financial resilience.

The project will build a digital library of crop images from different regions and seasons. This "crop signature" database will be an invaluable resource for future agricultural research, policy-making, and the development of more accurate predictive models.

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Source:

INDIAN EXPRESS

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Which of the following correctly describes the purpose of the CROPIC initiative as outlined by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare?

1. Monitoring crop health and stress throughout the growing cycle.

2. Automating crop loss assessment for faster insurance claim settlements.

3. Providing real-time weather forecasts directly to farmers via the mobile app.

4. Creating a marketplace for farmers to sell their produce directly to consumers.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

A) 1 and 2 only

B) 1, 2, and 3 only

C) 3 and 4 only

D) 1, 2, 3, and 4

Answer: A

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The CROPIC (Collection of Real Time Observations & Photo of Crops) initiative, launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, has a clear dual purpose. The program involves farmers and field officials taking photographs of crops multiple times during their lifecycle. These images are then analyzed using AI-based models to assess crop health, growth stage, and identify any stress or damage.

Statement 2 is correct: CROPIC is a key component of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). By using geo-tagged and time-stamped photos, the initiative aims to create a transparent and efficient system for verifying crop losses. This automation is expected to speed up the payment of insurance claims to affected farmers.

Statements 3 and 4 are incorrect: The CROPIC initiative does not include providing real-time weather forecasts directly to farmers through the mobile app, nor does it function as a marketplace for selling produce. Its focus is on leveraging technology for improved crop monitoring and insurance claim processing.