In a significant step towards modernising agriculture, the Punjab Government, under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has launched a digital seed certification process by equipping field staff with handheld tablets. This initiative is designed to streamline operations on the SATHI portal, ensuring that all seed inspections and certifications are conducted online.
On Thursday, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian handed over 40 tablets to Seed Certification Officers and Assistants, marking a major milestone in Punjab’s push for digital seed certification.
Real-Time Data and Enhanced Accountability
The introduction of handheld devices will eliminate manual paperwork, allowing field officers to input data in real time. GPS-enabled tablets will accurately record the geographical location of fields, ensuring transparency and eliminating discrepancies. Instant photography capabilities will allow crop conditions to be documented directly in the official report, reducing errors and enabling immediate sharing with farmers and higher authorities.
Digital Seed Certification Enhanced with GPS Mapping and Farmer Signatures
Minister Khuddian emphasised that farmers’ digital signatures will be captured directly on the tablet screens. Field mapping will be conducted using GPS to ensure accurate verification of seed fields. The tablets will also record key details, including crop type, isolation distance, disease observations, and the number of off-type plants, all digitally.
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Digital Seed Certification : “This digitisation of the seed certification process will bring greater transparency, improve accountability, and ensure that farmers receive quality certified seeds in a timely manner,” said Minister Khuddian.
Strengthening Agriculture Governance
Senior officials, including Secretary Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Arshdeep Singh Thind, Director Gurjit Singh Brar, and Director-PSSCA Narinder Benipal, were present during the launch. The move aligns with the Punjab Government’s broader agenda of modernising agricultural practices and supporting farmers with technology-driven solutions.
By adopting this digital approach, Punjab is setting a benchmark for other states, ensuring that agriculture governance is efficient, transparent, and farmer-friendly.