Future Farming in India 2025

Indicative roadmap for operationalizing AI-enabled pest prediction and control The following steps outline how AI-enabled pest prediction and control systems can be deployed. While many technology companies currently provide reactive insights for pest control, there is significant potential to develop and train models for proactive early-warning systems, enabling timely interventions and minimizing crop losses. TABLE 3 Indicative roadmap for operationalizing AI-enabled pest prediction and control Outputs at end of step Role of government Other critical stakeholders 1 Establish pest- management plan and expert group –Expert group –Pest-management strategy –List of priority crops for different regions –Shortlisted regions for pilots –Formulate an expert group –Develop a plan, including high- priority value chains and regions –Expert group: advise the government on pest- management strategy, priority crops/regions 2 Aggregate historic data on pest attacks for priority crops –Comprehensive datasets on pest images, pest patterns, environment and farming practices across priority crops/regions –Facilitate data collection/ exchange –Consolidate historic data on pest attacks through nodal departments –Agricultural research institutions: provide historic data on pest attacks and practices for pest management 3 Empanel technology providers for developing pest- management advisory –AI-driven system that can accurately predict pest outbreaks and improve models –Empanel technology companies that have pest- management systems –Set up technical sandboxes to improve models –Agritechs: participate in government tenders and expressions of interest (EOIs) –Expert group: evaluate agritechs for PPPs –Agricultural research institutions: improve models and provide recommendations 4 Deliver pest- management advisory –Pest-management practices integrated with AI models –Trained extension workers, recommendations to farmers –Deliver pest-management recommendations on a timely basis through government extension channels –Agritechs, extension agents and FPOs: deliver pest predictions and pest- management advisory 5 Promote adoption and use aggregated data to develop early-warning system –Region-wide deployment –Continuous monitoring and model refinement –Early-warning system for key pests –Track adoption of pest- management systems and develop feedback loops for improving model strengths and accuracy –Develop early-warning system –Agricultural research institutions: continuously engage in research and development (R&D) to develop effective pest- management approaches –Agritechs: ground truthing to develop accurate predictive models for early-warning systems Future Farming in India 23