Uttar Pradesh government is placing renewed emphasis on increasing cropping intensity to boost agricultural productivity.
As part of this effort, a dedicated command center has been established to monitor and analyse cultivable land in the state.
The satellite data provides precise information on the actual status of crops and recommends strategies for harvesting multiple crops throughout the year, thereby maximising land use.
The command center uses satellite imagery to determine the sown area and common area across the three agricultural seasons viz. kharif, rabi and zaid.
Recently, the Yogi Adityanath government directed the agriculture and horticulture departments to reevaluate crop data for key crops, including mango, banana and sugarcane.
The push for cropping intensification is crucial, given the limited increase in net sown area since India’s independence, which has grown by just 20 percent.
With limited land available, intensifying crop cycles by growing multiple crops per year on the same plot is seen as a key solution to meet the country’s growing food demands. Countries like Japan have long embraced similar technologies to boost agri output.
UP has about 16.94 million hectares of sown area. However, satellite data indicates the actual sown area is 17.74 million hectares, highlighting the importance of accurate data in planning agricultural strategies.
In terms of cropping intensity, UP outperforms the national average (155.40 percent) with 177.10 percent.
Other states leading in cropping intensity include Madhya Pradesh (189.90 percent), Haryana (181.80 percent), and Punjab (192.50 percent).