CROPIC: AI‑Powered Crop Monitoring

What is CROPIC?
CROPIC stands for Collection of Real‑Time Observations & Photo of Crops—an AI-driven initiative under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) launched by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.

Pilot Phase (Kharif 2025 & Rabi 2025–26):

• Deployed in 50 districts across diverse agro-climatic zones.
• For three major notified crops in each district.

How It Works:

1. Crowdsourced Imagery: Farmers and officials click geo-tagged field photos (4–5 times/crop cycle) via the CROPIC mobile app.
2. AI & Computer Vision: Cloud‑based AI analyzes images for crop type, growth stage, health, and damage.
3. Dashboard Analytics: A web dashboard visualizes insights for officials, aiding real-time decision-making .
4. Insurance Integration: Automates PMFBY claim assessments and payouts with photographic evidence.

Funding:
Supported by the Fund for Innovation & Technology (FIAT) under PMFBY, with a budget allocation of ₹825 crore .

Roadmap:
Initial pilots in 2025 seasons, nationwide implementation expected from 2026 for all PMFBY crops

UPSC Relevance

• GS Paper 3 (Technology in Agriculture): Use of AI and computer vision in improving crop health monitoring and risk management.
• GS Paper 2/3 (Governance & Scheme Implementation): Efficient execution of PMFBY and enhancements in agricultural insurance mechanisms.
• GS Paper 3 (Economy & Sustainable Development): Reliable farm data aiding in policy planning, crop insurance claims, and climate resilience.

Past-Year UPSC Question Linkage

While CROPIC itself hasn’t been directly asked, similar themes have appeared:

Prelims-Style (via ATIGyan sample):

Q: Which of the following correctly describes the purpose of CROPIC?

1. Monitoring crop health and stress throughout the crop cycle.
2. Automating crop loss assessment for faster insurance claim settlements.
3. Providing real-time weather forecasts via the app.
4. Creating a market platform for direct sales.
   Answer: A) 1 and 2 only

This aligns directly with CROPIC’s core functions.

Mains-Style Linkage:

Previous UPSC questions on similar themes include:

• GS3 (2019): “Satellite remote sensing is used to estimate chlorophyll content, greenhouse gas emissions and land surface temperatures—discuss.”—Showcases tech in agri monitoring, analogous to CROPIC’s role in AI-driven imagery.

Summary Table

Takeaway for UPSC Aspirants:
CROPIC is a prime example of integrating emerging technology into agricultural policy and insurance frameworks. It effectively addresses GS3 themes of “Science & Technology” and “Economy”, and GS2/3 themes of “Government Schemes” and “Sustainable Development”