UPAg portal aims to provide credible data on the agriculture sector to foster informed policy and decision-making.
Object Technology Solutions India Pvt. Ltd. (OTSI), an established global IT services company, has designed and developed UPAg (Unified Portal for Agricultural Statistics) for India’s Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. This innovative UPAg portal launched in September 2023 represents a significant step toward empowering stakeholders with real-time, reliable, standardized information for more efficient agricultural policies.
UPAg portal is a meticulously crafted platform designed to streamline and enhance data management within the agricultural sector. It addresses the critical need for credible, objective data to minimize the need for subjective judgment in policymaking, ultimately fostering stability, transparency, and informed decision-making.
“We are happy to associate with the Ministry of Agriculture in this ground-breaking initiative, which addresses complex governance issues in the farming sector. UPAg portal will enhance data accuracy and improve digital data governance in agriculture. It will grant users access to real-time, reliable, and standardized information, and this objective data is expected to pave the way for more responsive and efficient agricultural policies,” said Chandra Talluri, Chief Executive Officer of OTSI.
Presently, agricultural data in India is scattered across various sources, often presented in diverse formats and units. The UPAg portal aims to rectify this by consolidating data into a standardized format, ensuring easy access and comprehension for users. It will amalgamate real-time information on prices, production, area, yield, and trade from diverse sources, offering a holistic assessment of agricultural commodities.
Key Features of the UPAg Portal Include:
- The portal has an automated process of generating crop production estimates by triangulating the data from various sources such as IEG, Crop Weather Watch Group, MNCFC, State Government Data, etc. Policymakers use these estimates and other stakeholders to make informed decisions.
- Data hosted on the UPAg portal helps to gain deeper insights into the agricultural trends and resource utilization.
- Data sharing between UPAg and State Governments allows for the generation of more granular level estimates of crop production, which can be used to inform local decision-making.
- Primary data related to crop area, production and yield, and secondary data like prices, market arrivals etc, are collected. Collection and curation of secondary datasets from sources such as government agencies, private organizations, and research institutions improve the accuracy and timeliness of crop production estimates and enable a better understanding of market dynamics.
In summary, the UPAg portal serves as a comprehensive and reliable source of data and analytics that can significantly improve decision-making and outcomes in the agricultural sector.
