The project will first be implemented in Maharashtra, through ICAR’s Agro-Meteorological Field Units (AMFUs) to reach smallholder farmers )
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The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), in association with some other organisations like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), to launch personalised and real-time climate advisory services, powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).
The initiative will provide farmers with timely, actionable recommendations for critical decisions such as sowing, irrigation, and pest management. These advisories will be delivered through user-friendly digital channels, including an AI-powered WhatsApp bot, ensuring easy access even in remote farming communities.
The project will first be implemented in Maharashtra, through ICAR’s Agro-Meteorological Field Units (AMFUs) to reach smallholder farmers. Insights from this phase will inform a national rollout and serve as a model for South-South expansion.
The project, AI-powered Context-Specific Agromet Advisory Services for Climate-Resilient Agriculture at Scale, is supported under the Government of India’s Monsoon Mission III. It aims to equip smallholder farmers with hyper-local, actionable weather and climate insights, enabling them to make informed decisions amid increasing climate variability.
The Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA-ICAR), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), and Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) also joined the initiative.
The Intelligent Systems Advisory Tool (iSAT), a digital platform developed and piloted by ICRISAT and partners during Monsoon Mission II, was initially designed to transform complex climate and agronomic data into personalised, science-based advisories. iSAT is now being upgraded into a fully functional AI-powered tool under this new initiative.
“This technology, developed in India, holds immense potential for adaptation across the Global South, where farmers face similar climate vulnerabilities,” Himanshu Pathak, Director General of ICRISAT, said in a statement here on Wednesday.
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Published on July 30, 2025