The World Economic Forum (WEF) has released a comprehensive new report titled Future Farming in India: A Playbook for Scaling Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture, laying out a practical roadmap to harness artificial intelligence (AI) to transform India’s agricultural sector.
India’s agriculture employs nearly 42% of its population. It contributes 18% to its GDP. However, it faces systemic challenges like low productivity, fragmented landholdings, limited credit access, and escalating climate risks. According to the WEF, AI offers a transformational opportunity to tackle these issues by enhancing efficiency, productivity, and climate resilience in agriculture.
THE PROMISE OF AI IN INDIAN AGRICULTURE
Pilot programs across India have already demonstrated the potential of AI in agriculture to:
- Improve crop yields
- Reduce input costs
- Provide better market access for farmers
However, the report stresses that achieving nationwide impact will require overcoming barriers such as fragmented digital infrastructure, affordability issues, and lack of high-quality data in agriculture.
THE PLAYBOOK’S PURPOSE AND STRUCTURE
The WEF playbook has four key goals:
- Outline potential AI applications in agriculture and how they can be deployed.
- Present a three-pillar framework—Enable, Create, Deliver—to guide stakeholders in agriculture.
- Issue a call to action to build a collaborative, scalable AI ecosystem.
- Align AI efforts with national digital initiatives, such as the IndiaAI Mission (MeitY), Agri Stack, and state-led programs in agriculture.
While primarily aimed at policy-makers, the playbook also provides guidance for agribusinesses, agritech start-ups, and development organizations.
COLLABORATIVE AND CONTEXTUAL DEVELOPMENT
The playbook was developed by the WEF with input from the AI for India 2030 Advisory Council and a multistakeholder expert group that included:
- Agronomists advising on agriculture
- Agricultural technologists
- Government policy-makers
- Agribusiness leaders
The methodology combined:
- Design thinking to identify relevant AI solutions in agriculture
- Expert interviews with a focus on smallholder farmers’ challenges in agriculture
- Contextual analysis of India’s agricultural landscape
A FRAMEWORK FOR SCALABLE, INCLUSIVE INNOVATION
India is facing dual challenges: climate change and food security in agriculture. The report makes it clear that AI could be a game-changer. This is possible only if supported by the right policy environment, infrastructure, and inclusive innovation strategies.
The WEF playbook positions India to become a global leader in AI-driven agriculture. This will happen if all stakeholders come together. They need to turn potential into practice.