Mumbai: In a strong pitch for technology-led farming reforms, Devendra Fadnavis declared that India’s artificial intelligence push will remain incomplete unless agriculture becomes its central pillar.
Speaking at the India AI Summit 2026 on Friday, the Maharashtra Chief Minister said that the country’s digital transformation must directly benefit the millions who depend on farming for survival.
“Technology cannot grow in isolation from the soil,” Fadnavis remarked during a discussion focused on climate resilience and food systems. He stressed that India’s AI ambitions must be designed to strengthen rural livelihoods and ensure long-term food security.
Farming at the Core of Digital Growth
Fadnavis pointed out that nearly half a billion Indians rely on agriculture either directly or indirectly. He argued that digital innovation must prioritize farmers, especially smallholders who often struggle with limited access to timely information and rising input costs.
According to him, AI can bridge this gap by offering real-time insights, predictive weather models and smarter crop planning tools. “The goal is inclusion and scale,” he said, adding that agriculture should not be treated as a secondary sector in the tech revolution.
He emphasized that India’s broader AI mission must align with grassroots realities, ensuring that innovation translates into tangible support for rural communities.
Climate Stress and Global Food Risks
Highlighting global challenges, Fadnavis warned that food systems across the world are facing mounting pressure. He cited erratic rainfall, depleting groundwater levels and declining soil fertility as serious threats to agricultural stability.
He noted that for developing nations, food production is closely linked to economic security and social harmony. “Climate volatility is reshaping farming patterns,” he observed, stressing that proactive technological interventions are now essential.
He credited the central government, under the leadership of Narendra Modi, for promoting digital public infrastructure and responsible AI frameworks aimed at addressing such vulnerabilities.
Predictive Governance in Maharashtra
The Chief Minister also shared examples from Maharashtra where AI-based systems are being used to deliver early advisories to cotton farmers. These alerts, he said, have helped reduce crop losses and financial risks.
Plans are underway to create an integrated agricultural data platform in the state. The objective is to ensure that farmers retain control over their data while benefiting from advanced analytics and transparent market information.
Fadnavis explained that AI tools can provide hyperlocal weather forecasts, pest outbreak alerts, precision irrigation advice and digital credit assessment systems based on crop performance.
Ethics and Global Partnerships
During his address, Fadnavis referred to a global initiative developed in collaboration with the World Bank and Wadhwani AI. The effort focuses on identifying scalable AI solutions for agriculture and was recently presented in Delhi.
He underlined the importance of ethical safeguards, saying that technological growth must be built on transparency, accountability and public trust.
Concluding his remarks, Fadnavis stated that India has the opportunity to transform its agricultural sector from reactive crisis management to forward-looking, data-driven planning — securing both farmer incomes and the nation’s food future.
