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

Foreword Agriculture is at a turning point. In a world increasingly shaped by challenges such as unpredictable weather patterns, rising costs and resource scarcity, technological innovations are emerging as powerful tools to navigate these complexities. Among these, artificial intelligence (AI) stands out as a transformative force, capable of revolutionizing agricultural practices, enhancing productivity and ensuring sustainability. India, home to more than 150 million farmers, holds a unique position in this transformation. Despite its rich agrarian heritage, Indian agriculture faces significant challenges. Low productivity, fragmented landholdings, limited financial access for smallholders and vulnerability to climate change hinder progress. These issues are further exacerbated by traditional farming methods, underscoring the urgent need for innovative solutions that address inefficiencies while building resilience. This report, Future Farming in India: A Playbook for Scaling Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture, is designed to bridge the gap between aspiration and action, providing practical strategies for using AI to meet the needs of smallholder farmers in India and around the world. It builds on real-world examples and lessons learned from projects across India, where AI has helped farmers increase yields, reduce input costs and improve profits. These early successes demonstrate that AI can make a tangible difference – but only if implemented thoughtfully and at scale. This playbook is the result of extensive consultations with policy-makers, researchers, industry leaders, agritech start-ups and farmers themselves. It reflects a collective vision for harnessing AI to address systemic challenges in agriculture, guided by the principles of inclusivity, equity and sustainability. It provides a structured roadmap for deploying AI solutions at scale, centred on three critical pillars: enable, create and deliver. The playbook demonstrates how robust digital infrastructure, inclusive policies and collaborative innovation ecosystems can accelerate AI adoption. It also highlights successful use cases, both global and local, showcasing AI’s transformative potential when tailored to specific contexts. The report aspires to be more than a toolkit. It aims to inspire and align governments, private enterprises and civil society in building an AI ecosystem that promotes a future in which farming is more productive, profitable and resilient. The journey to scaling AI in agriculture is not without challenges, but it is also rich with opportunities. Whether you are a policy-maker, a start-up founder, an industry leader or a research scientist, as you engage with this playbook, you are encouraged to reflect on its insights and adapt its recommendations to your unique contexts. The report’s authors extend their deepest gratitude to all stakeholders whose expertise, vision and dedication have shaped this initiative. They hope this playbook serves as a beacon, guiding the global agricultural community towards a smarter, more sustainable future.S. Krishnan Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, (MeitY), Government of India Purushottam Kaushik Head, Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, World Economic Forum, IndiaDevesh Chaturvedi Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India Future Farming in India A Playbook for Scaling Artificial Intelligence in AgricultureFebruary 2025 Nipun Kalra Managing Director, Senior Partner and India Head, BCG X Future Farming in India 3