Future Farming in India A Playbook for Scaling Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture 2025

The context AI-enabled pest prediction uses historic data on climate and soil characteristics, together with other farm-level data, to create early warnings about high- potential pest attacks. Furthermore, these applications provide farmers with real-time recommendations to manage pest infestations, such as pest identification, risk scores of different farm locations, integrated pest management (IPM) practices and vendors. Such pest-management systems are critical for reducing economic losses20 from pest attacks and building the resilience of India’s agricultural sectors. Climate change has led to more frequent and severe pest infestations in Indian agriculture. Estimates suggest that India loses $36 billion to pests.Farmers lack timely pest-detection tools, forcing overuse of pesticides. This increases costs, leads to high pesticide residues and often results in market rejections, affecting income.Extension channels often provide generic advice for pest management. Most of this advice is shared post-infestation. Vision 2030AI-enabled pest prediction and controlCurrent scenario Governments have used AI to develop both predictive and reactive models for pest management. Recommendations from these models are shared in a timely manner by means of extension agents, rapidly building resilience to pest attacks.Farmers upload an image of an infested crop and get real-time recommendations on pest management. This reduces pesticide use and costs, and allows farmers to meet the maximum residue level (MRL) standards of global buyers to achieve premium prices.Extension agents provide early warnings on potential infestations, enabling precautionary action, along with specific hyperlocal advisory in case of infestations.Harnessing AI for early pest detection and control FIGURE 7 Launched in August 2024, India’s National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS) is an AI-powered platform designed to enhance pest management for farmers. The system will enable farmers to connect with agricultural experts through their mobile phones. By uploading images of pests or affected crops, farmers receive tailored pest- control advice based on real-time data. The platform aims to reduce farmers’ dependence on pesticide retailers, promote scientific pest- management practices, and prevent pesticide misuse, ensuring sustainable farming.CASE STUDY 2 National pest-surveillance models21Around 40% of the global crop production equivalent or close to $220 billion18 is lost to pests annually. In 2015, it was highlighted that India lost almost $36 billion19 to pest attacks.2.1.3 AI-enabled pest prediction and control Future Farming in India 21