HYDERABAD: To transform farming and adapt to climate variability, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), in collaboration with national and international institutions, has launched a new initiative harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to provide real-time, personalised climate advisory services to farmers.
The project, titled AI-powered Context-Specific Agromet Advisory Services for Climate-Resilient Agriculture at Scale, aims to equip smallholder farmers with hyper-local, actionable weather and climate insights. The initiative is supported under the Union government’s Monsoon Mission III. It was launched during a two-day workshop held on July 29 and 30 at ICRISAT.
At the core of the initiative is the Intelligent Systems Advisory Tool (iSAT), a digital platform developed and piloted during Monsoon Mission II. Originally designed to simplify complex climate and agronomic data into personalised, science-based advice, iSAT is now being upgraded into a full-fledged AI-powered system.
By integrating real-time weather forecasts, crop models, and ML analytics, it will offer farmers actionable recommendations on sowing, irrigation, and pest management. Advisories will be delivered through user-friendly digital channels, including an AI-powered WhatsApp bot, ensuring accessibility even in remote areas.
The initiative will first be implemented in Maharashtra through ICAR’s Agro-Meteorological Field Units (AMFUs), focusing on small landholding farmers. Insights from this pilot will guide a national rollout and serve as a model for adaptation across the Global South. The digital platform will also contribute foundational inputs to MausamGPT.
Dr Himanshu Pathak, director general of ICRISAT, said the platform has potential for wider adoption in regions facing similar climate challenges. Dr Shivananda Pai, head of the agromet division at IMD, highlighted its role in bridging the last-mile gap by placing critical weather information directly in the hands of farmers.
ICRISAT and Kaveri University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to foster research collaboration, technology development, and student exchange further advancing climate-resilient agriculture and nurturing future talent across India.