Vedant Sahu
Jharkhand, an Indian state, has recently become the first in the nation to use blockchain technology for distributing seeds to farmers. This groundbreaking initiative is a collaboration between the Directorate of Agriculture of Jharkhand and SettleMint, a global blockchain technology company.
Since its inception in India two years ago, SettleMint has been actively promoting the use of blockchain technology. The successful launch of this blockchain-based seed distribution system in Jharkhand marks a significant achievement in this endeavor.
The system tracks the entire seed distribution process, from the Directorate of Agriculture issuing supply orders to the final delivery to farmers. This includes monitoring seed demands by District Agriculture Officers and tracking the flow from government seed agencies to distributors, retailers, and finally to the farmers. The aim is to ensure transparency and authenticity in the seed exchange scheme and other related programs.
Blockchain technology will also be used to monitor the distribution of other agricultural items under various schemes managed by the Directorate of Agriculture, such as the State Seed Distribution Scheme and PMKSY. This technology is expected to enhance the transparency and efficiency of these schemes, removing middlemen and ensuring that quality seeds reach farmers promptly.
Nesha Oraon, Jharkhand’s Agriculture Director, emphasized the government’s commitment to providing high-quality seeds to farmers and building a comprehensive database of farmers. Shahzad Fatmi, CEO of SettleMint India, expressed his enthusiasm about partnering with Jharkhand in this pioneering venture, noting blockchain’s transformative impact on agricultural supply chains.
The system requires each farmer to be registered with their Aadhar card and mobile number. Seed distribution is recorded after an OTP verification on the farmer’s registered mobile number. This initiative aims to establish a transparent and real-time monitored distribution system and develop a robust database for better implementation of agricultural schemes.
To date, over 3 lakh farmers, 600 distributors, and 160 FPOs have been registered on this platform. This kharif season, about 30,000 quintals of seeds have been distributed via blockchain, with projections of up to 40,000 quintals due to the current drought conditions. This blockchain adoption is expected to make the seed distribution process completely transparent and efficient.