INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Authors: Super UserFirst phase of the Niti Aayog-IBM project will focus on the model for 10 aspirational districtsNITI Aayog and IBM signed
a Statement of Intent (SoI) to develop a crop yield prediction model using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to provide real time advisory to
farmers in Aspirational Districts
The SoI was signed in the presence of Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog and Karan Bajwa, MD, IBM India
The partnership aims to work together towards use of technology to provide insights to farmers to improve crop productivity, soil yield,
control agricultural inputs with the overarching goal of improving farmers' incomes.: NITI Aayog Says It's 'Unviable' To Support Air
IndiaHighlighting the need of such collaborations, Mr Kant said, "Bringing in future technologies like Artificial Intelligence into
practical use will have tremendous benefits for the practice of agriculture in the country, improving efficiency in resource-use, crop
yields and scientific farming
The ten Aspirational Districts chosen will be invigorated with cutting-edge technological support to leap-frog development of agri-based
economies".First phase of the project will focus on developing the model for 10 Aspirational Districts across the States of Assam, Bihar,
Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.The scope of this project is to introduce and make available
climate-aware cognitive farming techniques and identifying systems of crop monitoring, early warning on pest/disease outbreak based on
advanced AI innovations.It also includes deployment of weather advisory, rich satellite and enhanced weather forecast information along with
IT mobile applications with a focus on improving the crop yield and cost savings through better farm management.IBM will be using
Artificial Intelligence to provide all the relevant data and platform for developing technological models for improving agricultural output
and productivity for various crops and soil types, for the identified districts
NITI Aayog, on its part, will facilitate the inclusion of more stakeholders on the ground for effective last mile utilisation and extension,
using the insights generated through these models.
