In a move to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability using advanced technologies, the Punjab government announced plans to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into the agriculture sector. A Centre of Excellence at IIT Ropar will support this initiative.
At a high-level review meeting chaired by Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian, the focus was on implementing AI-driven solutions to boost farm productivity, ensure sustainability, and increase farmers’ income statewide. The minister stressed the need for technology to directly benefit farmers at the grassroots level.
Khudian directed officials to facilitate the setup of automatic weather stations, engage farmers for data collection, support horticulture clusters, and expand AI solutions for livestock productivity. He commended IIT Ropar for launching national courses on precision agriculture and AI in agriculture to enhance skills among youth and government officers.
The collaboration between the Punjab government and IIT Ropar aims to position the state as a leader in AI-driven agricultural transformation. The efforts are expected to improve resource efficiency, climate resilience, and sustainable growth in the agriculture sector, making Punjab a model for agricultural innovation.
Associate Professor Pushpendra P. Singh from IIT Ropar briefed the minister on initiatives under the Centre of Excellence, which is financially supported by the Government of India. These initiatives include AI-based crop advisory systems, farmer chatbots, digital crop models, yield estimation tools, soil health analytics, weather intelligence, and smart livestock management applications.
