From DBT to MahaVISTAAR, the state explores AI for direct payments, dispute resolution and farmer services.

AI4Agri2026 in Mumbai spotlights predictive intelligence, institutional scale and women-led inclusion as the pillars of India’s agri-AI transformation

Day 1 at AI4Agri2026 concluded in Mumbai with a decisive message: Artificial Intelligence is no longer optional for agriculture — it is foundational. With strong participation from global financial institutions, national research bodies and gender equity advocates, Maharashtra reinforced its ambition to become India’s most advanced, farmer-centric AI ecosystem.

The conference brought together multilateral agencies, policymakers, research institutions and development partners to accelerate scalable, inclusive and predictive AI solutions for agriculture.

AI for Prediction: Science, Scale and Farmer Knowledge

Dr. M.L. Jat – Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) emphasized that prediction lies at the heart of modern agriculture. Climate variability, pest outbreaks, yield forecasting and market fluctuations demand AI-enabled predictive intelligence.

Over 30 million farmers are now enrolled across digital platforms, providing a powerful foundation for data-driven transformation. ICAR is currently advancing more than 150 projects spanning AI, machine learning and agricultural robotics, reflecting one of the most ambitious research pipelines in the Global South.

Dr. Jat underscored that India’s greatest strength lies in farmers’ traditional knowledge systems. AI must not replace this wisdom, but build upon it. Context-relevant analysis — rooted in agro-climatic diversity, soil variability and local cropping practices — is essential to ensure that AI solutions remain meaningful and practical at the farm level. Creating a dynamic AI database that integrates scientific research with traditional knowledge was identified as a national priority.

Institutional Scale: ADB’s Strategic Investment in Maharashtra

Mio Oka – Country Director, Asian Development Bank (ADB) India Resident Mission highlighted ADB’s engagements in India through Maharashtra, with investments exceeding $500 million. This partnership reflects confidence in Maharashtra’s institutional capacity to scale AI-driven agricultural reform.

AI is increasingly shaping farmer decision-making, from crop planning to market participation. India’s agricultural progress, she emphasized, must be digitally enabled. Agristack was cited as a key example of digital infrastructure enabling service delivery at scale, while Maharashtra provides an active platform to refine and operationalize AI tools.

For AI to scale sustainably, institutional frameworks must evolve alongside technology. ADB’s support under initiatives such as PM-KUSUM is helping make Maharashtra’s agriculture AI-ready, particularly in renewable energy integration. Strengthening post-harvest infrastructure — storage, value addition and supply chain optimization — remains a central focus, with ADB committed to supporting both the Government of Maharashtra and the Government of India in advancing AI-enabled resilience.

Putting Women at the Centre of the AI Revolution

Kanta Singh – Country Representative (India), UN Women delivered a powerful call to reimagine AI in agriculture through a gender lens.

Women farmers, she noted, often suffer the deepest disadvantages — lacking land ownership, access to information and formal recognition. Yet wherever women lead agricultural operations directly, productivity and community progress are visibly stronger.

Technology is increasingly entering women’s lives, but women are rarely placed at the centre of learning ecosystems. This gap is structural. Even leading technology innovators frequently overlook women farmers, often failing to recognize their economic and developmental value.

Three urgent priorities were outlined: meaningful engagement with women farmers in technology design; increased investment in educating and digitally empowering women through blended learning models; and embedding women as decision-makers across agricultural value chains. Gender-responsive budgeting must become a central instrument in ensuring that investments in AI reach and empower women farmers directly.

Women contribute profoundly to nation-building, yet too often remain invisible in policy records and economic metrics. AI4Agri2026 reaffirmed that inclusive AI must correct this invisibility by recognizing women not merely as beneficiaries, but as leaders, innovators and primary stakeholders in climate-resilient agriculture.

A Converging Global Commitment

AI4Agri2026 demonstrated unprecedented convergence between national research institutions, multilateral banks and gender equity advocates. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research is advancing predictive science and robotics; the Asian Development Bank is mobilizing capital and institutional frameworks; and UN Women is ensuring that inclusivity remains central to design and deployment.

Together, these partnerships are shaping Maharashtra’s AI journey — one that integrates predictive analytics, institutional scalability, traditional knowledge and gender justice into a unified agricultural transformation strategy.

AI4Agri2026 closed with a clear understanding: the future of agriculture will be determined not only by algorithms, but by whose knowledge is valued, whose voices are heard and whose lives are improved. Maharashtra’s model signals that when science, investment and inclusion converge, AI can become a force for resilience, equity and national development at scale.

— Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agrospectrumindia.com)