Gates Foundation, India to develop AI farm tools
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will collaborate with the Indian government to develop AI-powered digital tools for Indian farmers and potentially replicate these technologies across Asia and Africa, CEO Mark Suzman announced on Thursday. During a meeting with Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Suzman discussed the potential of India's expanding use of artificial intelligence, digital public infrastructure, and technology in agriculture.
The partnership aims to enhance tools for weather forecasting, soil health information, agricultural advisory services, crop productivity, and market access for farmers. Suzman highlighted the Bharat-VISTAAR programmes, which provide AI-enabled digital tools for Indian farmers, particularly women.
Suzman mentioned that India's digital infrastructure could help scale AI in agriculture, leveraging the country's expertise in building digital public infrastructure. He also noted that the collaboration includes research partnerships with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), focusing on livestock and crop improvement.
The Gates Foundation sees potential for India's agricultural innovations to be used more widely in developing economies across Asia and Africa, aligning with India's broader development goals under the Viksit Bharat vision.
Written by urgent.news from The Economic Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
