India’s agricultural transformation is entering a decisive new phase, one where artificial intelligence is no longer confined to research labs or pilot projects, but is steadily becoming an integral part of on-farm decision-making, market planning, and risk mitigation for millions of farmers.
This forward-looking vision emerged during a panel discussion on ‘On-farm applications, precision farming, and inclusive growth’, convened by Wadhwani AI at SahAI 2026. The discussion brought together leaders from government, research institutions, industry, and civil society to examine how AI, supported by strong public digital infrastructure and collaborative partnerships, is strengthening India’s agricultural ecosystem.
The session, moderated by J.P. Tripathi, Director (Agriculture), Wadhwani AI, highlighted how government-led digital platforms and data systems are creating the foundation for scalable, trusted AI adoption across agriculture, enabling innovation to move seamlessly from policy to practice. “Agriculture contributes nearly 18 per cent to India’s GDP and supports more than 600 million people across the value chain. Today, with hundreds of AI-driven innovations and strong government digital infrastructure in place, the opportunity before us is to ensure that technology meaningfully enhances income security and resilience for our 150 million small and marginal farmers,” he said.
Throughout the discussion, speakers emphasised that AI is increasingly acting as a digital shield, helping farmers anticipate weather variability, manage soil health, detect diseases early, and align production with market demand.
A key theme was inclusive growth, particularly the role of women in agriculture. Dr. Malvika Chaudhary, Global Team Leader, Digital Tool Promotion, CABI, highlighted how AI is being designed to reach women farmers more effectively through trusted networks and context-aware tools. “Women contribute nearly 40 per cent of agricultural labour, and AI gives us a powerful opportunity to ensure they receive trusted, timely information at their convenience,” she said. She shared how AI-mediated avatar-based surveys and GenAI-powered advisory tools, developed in collaboration with IFPRI and piloted in Tamil Nadu, are enabling women farmers to engage more confidently in planning and decision-making. “When AI tools are built with social realities in mind, they not only improve farm outcomes but also strengthen women’s participation and leadership within agricultural communities,” she added.
Demonstrating AI’s growing impact at the farm level, Dr. Ashwini Gajarushi, Engineering Manager (Electronic System Group), TIH Foundation for IoT & IoE, IIT-Bombay, spoke about how precision advisory is helping farmers improve productivity while reducing input costs. “AI allows us to move from generic recommendations to highly customized advisory based on real-time field conditions. This shift is enabling farmers to see agriculture as a sustainable business, not just a livelihood,” she noted. Sharing outcomes from deployments in Maharashtra, she highlighted measurable improvements in yield, water efficiency, and input optimisation, underscoring that AI-led precision farming is delivering tangible returns. “These results show that when AI is embedded into government and institutional programs, it can scale responsibly and deliver consistent value to farmers,” she said.
