Harnessing Digital Technologies for Smarter Water Management in Agriculture 2025

Digital literacy gaps in agriculture persist across many rural communities, which makes training and advisory services crucial for implementation.43 Large-scale public initiatives can serve a pivotal role in accelerating this. National free digital literacy programmes tailored specifically for farmers can help bridge the digital knowledge gap, enabling both smallholders and large-scale farmers to effectively utilize AI-driven advisory platforms and IoT-based irrigation systems. Several regional and global initiatives are already advancing this agenda. For example, the Digitalisation for Agriculture (D4Ag) initiative advocates farmer- centred digital literacy building through customized training and tools.44 The role of public-private partnerships is critical in such initiatives, as collaboration among governments, agribusinesses and technology providers can facilitate the provision of open- access educational resources, hands-on training and user-friendly digital platforms for farmers. For instance, the Saagu Baagu pilot, developed in partnership with the Government of Telangana and Digital Green through the World Economic Forum’s AI for Agriculture Innovations (AI4AI) initiative, has increased yields in the chilli value chain by 21% for over 7,000 farmers in the Khammam district by enabling digital agriculture focused on evidence- based learning and scalable impact.45 Table 5 outlines some key methods to provide farmers with the necessary digital skills. Methods to equip farmers with digital skills TABLE 5 Method Targeted challenge Training approach Localized training initiatives –Limited digital literacy among farmers. –Difficulty understanding and implementing complex digital water management solutions on-site. –In-person workshops, mobile education units and farmer collectives designed to provide hands- on training, enabling practical experience with IoT sensors, AI-driven advisory tools and digital irrigation platforms. Digital learning hubs –Lack of continuous access to up-to-date technological resources. –Difficulty visualizing practical benefits of digital solutions. –Community spaces featuring engaging digital modules, live sensor data displays and interactive dashboards. –These hubs facilitate regular access to technology demonstrations, enhancing familiarity with real-time data analytics in agriculture. Farmer-led knowledge exchange –Resistance to technology adoption due to uncertainty or risk aversion. –Limited dissemination of practical experience in local contexts. –Establish collaborative peer networks where experienced farmers share practical insights, best practices and lessons learned from implementing digital water management technologies. –Peer-to-peer mentoring sessions can encourage greater trust and faster adoption rates. National free digital literacy programmes tailored specifically for farmers can help bridge the digital knowledge gap. 2.4 Making smart agriculture affordable and scalable Affordability is a major barrier for widespread adoption of digital agriculture, particularly for smallholder farmers. Without innovative financing and cost-sharing approaches, or clear policy incentives, scalability remains a significant challenge. Common constraints include: –High upfront costs of IoT sensors and maintenance. –Limited last-mile distribution and adoption beyond high-value crops like fruits and vegetables. –Lack of incentives for farmers to transition to efficient water use. To unlock broader adoption, digital solutions should resonate with farmers’ economic realities. Table 6 presents some strategies to lower barriers to adoption. Harnessing Digital Technologies for Smarter Water Management in Agriculture 25