India's agri data collection plagued by delays, outdated maps and untrained staff

India's statistics ministry has flagged serious gaps in the country's agricultural data collection systems. Official crop inspections were completed on time in fewer than half of all villages, while many land maps used for tracing are more than two decades old. In several major states, crop-cutting experiments are being carried out by personnel who lack proper training. These shortcomings are undermining the accuracy of national food security interventions and advance crop estimates. Policymakers are now grappling with the challenge of making sound decisions based on unreliable agricultural statistics.