AI in Agriculture: Tripartite Pact Signed | Agri Min

New Delhi, Jan 17 (PTI) The agriculture ministry on Wednesday said a tripartite agreement has been signed to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) in the agriculture sector.

The agreement was signed between the National Farmers' Welfare Programme Implementation Society (NFWPIS), IndiaAI under Digital India Corporation and Wadhwani Foundation, according to the agriculture ministry.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed in the presence of Agriculture Secretary Manoj Ahuja, Wadhwani Institute of Technology and Policy CEO Prakash Kumar and other senior officials of the agriculture and electronic and IT ministries, an official statement said.

The Agriculture Secretary emphasised AI's game-changing role citing capabilities in advisories, feedback collection, crop monitoring, yield prediction, pest control, and resource optimization.

As per the MoU, the Wadhwani Foundation will provide critical support in formulating and executing an AI strategy.

It will assist the ministry in establishing India as a global leader in AI-driven digital agriculture transformation, aligning with the MeitY's National Plan for AI.

This collaboration marks a pivotal moment in India's agricultural landscape, where the Ministry has institutionalized the use of AI in transforming digital agriculture through the creation of an AI cell within the ministry, the statement said.

The Agriculture Ministry is leveraging cutting-edge AI technologies for the benefit of farmers and to increase overall productivity.

As a pioneering force in the integration of AI, the Ministry is setting a precedent for leveraging advanced technologies to address the challenges faced by the farmers in India. It is championing the India Digital Ecosystem Architecture (InDEA) 2.0's network approach, designed by the Ministry of Electronics & IT.