Niti inks pact with IBM to develop crop yield prediction model using AI

Niti Aayog and IBM today signed a pact to develop a crop yield prediction model using artificial intelligence (AI) to provide real time advisory to farmers in Aspirational Districts, an official statement said.

According to the statement, the partnership aims to work towards use of technology to provide insights to farmers to improve crop productivity, soil yield and control agricultural inputs with the overarching goal of improving farmers' incomes.

First phase of the project will focus on developing the model for 10 Aspirational Districts across 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.

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 will facilitate the inclusion of more stakeholders on the ground for effective last mile utilisation and extension using the insights generated through these models, the statement added.