Union Cabinet approved seven schemes to improve farmers’ lives and increase their incomes

Current Context: The Union Cabinet recently approved seven major schemes aimed at improving farmers’ lives and increasing their incomes, with a total outlay of approximately ₹14,235.30 crore.

• Here are the key schemes:
• Digital Agriculture Mission: Utilizing technology like AI and Big Data to enhance agricultural practices and connect farmers with buyers.
• Crop Science for Food and Nutritional Security: Focused on research and education to improve crop resilience and food security.
• Strengthening Agricultural Education, Management, and Social Sciences: Modernizing agricultural research and education in line with the New Education Policy 2020.
• Sustainable Livestock Health and Production: Aiming to increase farmers’ income from livestock and dairy.
• Sustainable Development of Horticulture: Enhancing income from horticulture plants.
• Strengthening of Krishi Vigyan Kendra: Improving agricultural extension services.
• Natural Resource Management: Focusing on sustainable use of natural resources.
• These initiatives are designed to leverage modern technology and research to support farmers in various aspects of agriculture.

Question:

1 Which of the following technologies is being utilized in the Digital Agriculture Mission to enhance agricultural practices?

• A) Blockchain and Robotics
• B) Drone Technology and Cloud Computing
• C) Artificial Intelligence and Big Data
• D) Internet of Things (IoT) and Quantum Computing

Answer: C) The Digital Agriculture Mission aims to enhance agricultural practices by using advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data to connect farmers with buyers and optimize farming methods.