ROING, Oct 5: Aimed at forming a definitive farmer database to help enable the Arunachal Pradesh piece together a more responsive agricultural administration and deliver government support more efficiently and transparently to farmers across the State, they are going to get a unique digital identity, as Agriculture Minister Gabriel D Wangsu today launched a Farmer ID Generating Camp at Roing in Lower Dibang Valley district, describing the initiative as a major step towards building a more transparent, efficient and farmer-centric agricultural system across the state
In a pilot basis, the initiative is being introduced in six districts—Tawang, Pakke Kessang, Lower Subansiri, East Siang, Lower Dibang Valley and Namsai. Based on the experience and progress of the pilot phase, the programme will subsequently be expanded to the remaining 21 districts of the State, officials stated.
Addressing farmers, Gaon Burahs, public representatives and departmental officials at the programme, Wangsu said the Farmer ID initiative under the AgriStack framework would help the government develop a reliable understanding of the State’s farming community by linking verified information about farmers with their farms and agricultural activities.
“This is a paradigm shift in the journey of our agriculture sector. Farmer ID is one of the biggest exercises being undertaken in the country to build a proper agricultural information system,” Wangsu said.
He said the initiative was not merely about creating an identity for farmers, but about enabling the government to better understand who the farmers are, where they cultivate, what they grow and what kind of support they require. Such information, he said, was essential for better planning and effective delivery of agricultural schemes.
The minister also underlined the importance of data security and transparency, saying a verified farmer record would help ensure that agricultural benefits reach genuine beneficiaries.
He said Farmer ID would give farmers greater visibility over their own information and help prevent misuse of their identity or claims being made in their name. At the same time, he clarified that the Farmer ID should not be confused with a land ownership document.
“Farmer ID is not a land ownership document, nor does it establish legal ownership of any land. It is a farmer identification record intended to support the delivery of agricultural services and benefits,” Wangsu said.
Wangsu appealed to farmers to actively participate in the registration process and cooperate with departmental field surveyors undertaking farm mapping and data collection. He also urged PRI members, GBs and community representatives to create awareness in their respective villages and ensure that eligible farmers are not left out due to lack of information.
The Minister stated that the initiative was being implemented as part of the broader efforts of the governments led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to strengthen agriculture and improve support systems for farmers in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.