Bengaluru- (Aug 9)
For generations, Indian agriculture has depended on predictable monsoon cycles. Today, farmers face rising temperatures, heatwaves, erratic rainfall, floods, prolonged dry spells and declining groundwater resources. These challenges threaten crop production, livelihoods, food security and economic stability. With climate risks increasing, the focus has shifted from simply enhancing production to developing a more resilient, adaptive and sustainable agricultural system. Amid these challenges, AI, satellite imagery, drones, IoT technologies and digital advisory platforms are enabling a shift from reactive to predictive agriculture. However, technology by itself will not determine the future of Indian agriculture unless farmers effectively use it.
From Data to the Farm Gate
Modern agriculture generates vast amounts of information. The challenge is translating technical information from satellites, sensors and climate models into practical decisions that farmers can easily use. Researchers at IISc’s ARTPARK are developing AI-based heat-stress prediction systems that can help farmers anticipate crop stress in advance and take preventive action. Through initiatives such as Microsoft’s collaboration with the Agricultural Development Trust (ADT), Baramati, and agritech platforms like KhetiBuddy, farmers are increasingly gaining access to AI-powered advisory services, satellite-based insights, digital farm records, and decision-support tools that help improve crop management, traceability, and resilience.
Drones, remote sensing systems, and IoT-based field sensors are also enabling real-time monitoring of crops, water availability, pest outbreaks, and nutrient deficiencies. Combined with AI analytics, these technologies can optimise input use, reduce costs, conserve water, and improve productivity. Experts interviewed by Dr Anubha Jain highlighted the need to combine innovation, climate resilience, market reforms and farmer-centric policies to strengthen Indian agriculture. India’s agricultural extension system, particularly Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), must adapt to digital agriculture.
In an interview with Dr Anubha Jain, Dr Sudhanshu K. K. Mishra, a former senior official of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), emphasised that institutions such as ICAR and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) must play a more active role in translating climate forecasts, satellite data and digital advisories into practical farm-level recommendations. This would require training programmes and participatory learning campaigns.
Climate Adaptation Must Reach the Farm
Climate-resilient crop varieties, improved planting material, and adaptive cultivation practices can help farmers respond to changing weather patterns. These solutions must be rapidly transferred from research institutions to farmers through extension services and digital advisory platforms. Dr Mishra highlighted that India’s climate research and adaptation programmes, including the Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment (INCCA) and the National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA), have generated valuable data on climate vulnerabilities, rainfall variability, agricultural risks and socio-economic challenges across regions. Integrating these assessments with AI-based analytics, real-time climate information, and farm-level data can help policymakers and farmers develop more targeted, location-specific adaptation strategies.
Moving Beyond Water-Intensive Crops
A major challenge facing Indian agriculture is the continued reliance on water-intensive crops, such as paddy and sugarcane, in regions already experiencing water stress. Diversification towards horticulture, pulses, oilseeds, dairy and fisheries can strengthen farm incomes while reducing pressure on water resources. Maharashtra’s success with grapes, pomegranates, and citrus fruits, and Himachal Pradesh’s transformation through apple cultivation, demonstrate the economic potential of such transitions. Significant post-harvest losses continue due to inadequate storage, transportation and processing infrastructure. Expanding cold-chain networks, modern storage facilities, and value-addition infrastructure is critical to reducing post-harvest losses, improving shelf life and enhancing farmer incomes.
Closing the Loop: Urban Technology and the Circular Economy
Alternative models such as hydroponics and circular agriculture can complement conventional farming by enabling soil-free cultivation with lower water use, controlled nutrient management, and year-round production, thereby strengthening food security, particularly in urban and climate-stressed regions. However, experts believe that technology adoption will depend on affordability, awareness, and institutional support. Rajender Satyanarayana and Bharathi Athinarayanan stressed that wider adoption of agricultural technologies will require stronger alignment between climate science, artificial intelligence and farmer institutions, supported by affordability, awareness, government and institutional support, and scalable innovation models.
Beyond Production: Reducing Losses and Improving Markets
Many farmers, particularly smallholders, continue to receive prices that do not adequately cover cultivation costs. Even the most advanced technologies cannot secure the future of Indian agriculture if farmers remain economically vulnerable. Policy reforms must also address the needs of tenant farmers and sharecroppers who remain outside formal credit, insurance and procurement systems. Farmer-Producer Organisations (FPOs) can play a crucial role by aggregating produce, improving bargaining power, facilitating access to technology, and strengthening market linkages.
The Digital Agriculture Mission, combined with schemes such as PM Fasal Bima Yojana, could use predictive analytics to identify risks early and support farmers before losses escalate. As digital agriculture expands, transparent governance frameworks will be essential to safeguard data ownership, privacy, and farmer consent. Ensuring that farmers remain the primary beneficiaries of data generated from their fields will be critical for building trust and promoting equitable adoption of digital technologies. Financial institutions such as NABARD and the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund can play a catalytic role in supporting digital infrastructure, rural drone services, and climate-resilient farm investments.
Voices from the Ground
When asked what policy interventions are needed to help farmers transition from water-intensive crops to climate-resilient farming systems, and how NABARD can support this shift without undermining rural incomes, Dr Sudhanshu Mishra highlighted several structural challenges that continue to constrain Indian agriculture, including small and fragmented landholdings, dependence on rainfed farming, overreliance on water-intensive crops, exclusion of sharecroppers from institutional support systems, weak extension services and inadequate market infrastructure. He noted that India’s large rainfed agricultural area remains highly vulnerable to climate shocks, and that improving productivity and resilience in these regions is critical for future food security.
He emphasised crop diversification and community-led ecological restoration as key to improving agricultural resilience. Explaining the challenges faced by tenant farmers and sharecroppers, Dr Mishra noted that many tenant farmers and sharecroppers remain outside formal credit, insurance and procurement systems, underscoring the need for policy reforms to ensure that the benefits of agricultural development reach all cultivators. He added that crop diversification must be supported by fair prices, stronger market access and livelihood security for small and marginal farmers.
Strengthening mandi infrastructure, low-cost agro-processing facilities and local value addition can reduce post-harvest losses, improve farmer incomes and increase farmers’ share of the value chain. Integrated farming models that combine crops, horticulture, livestock and other allied activities, alongside watershed development, agroforestry, tribal development programmes and community-led landscape management, can enhance climate resilience while improving rural livelihoods and incomes.
Citing NABARD-supported watershed and Tribal Development Fund initiatives, he said ecosystem restoration, water conservation and climate-resilient plantations can create livelihoods while improving environmental sustainability. He also highlighted plantation drives featuring bee-flora to create pollinator-friendly green corridors, and community-led rainfed agriculture models, as measures that can enhance biodiversity, strengthen climate adaptation and generate rural livelihoods.
Dr Mahendra Madhup, Founder, Farmer Scientist Family, argued that technology alone cannot transform Indian agriculture unless it is accompanied by stronger infrastructure, farmer training, value addition, and market reforms. He pointed out that many farmers still lack access to reliable electricity, internet connectivity, digital devices, and the skills needed to adopt emerging technologies. While AI can improve productivity, crop quality, and climate resilience, sustainable income growth will depend on food processing, local value addition, and strong market linkages. Madhup advocated decentralised agri-processing units managed by rural youth and expanded local food-processing infrastructure to reduce wastage, minimise dependence on intermediaries, and increase farmers’ share of the value chain. He also called for transparent markets, affordable credit and regulatory reforms to improve efficiency across the agricultural value chain. Dr Madhup argued that meaningful transformation requires farmers to participate in processing, entrepreneurship and value-added agriculture, not just production. The future, he said, lies in a farmer-driven agricultural industry.
Padma Shri awardee farmer Sundaaram Verma emphasised the importance of integrating traditional agricultural wisdom with modern innovation. His work on low-water plantation techniques demonstrates how resource-efficient farming can improve resilience while conserving water. Verma advocates biodiversity-based farming, indigenous crop varieties, multi-cropping systems with crop rotation, and large-scale tree plantation as practical responses to climate change. He called for long-term policy support and remunerative pricing for farmers adopting sustainable farming practices.
India as a Global Testbed
India’s experience offers valuable lessons for developing nations facing similar climate challenges. The technologies already exist; the challenge is ensuring farmers can access them through effective extension systems, finance, fair markets and supportive policies. The future of Indian agriculture will depend on how effectively technology, policy and farmer knowledge are integrated to build resilient food systems.
Dr Anubha Jain-With over a dozen years in journalism spanning print and digital.Dr Anubha Jain is a Bengaluru-based Senior Journalist specializing in Space and Science-Technology.
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