New Delhi, Feb 20 (IANS) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said the Government of Maharashtra is striving to bring holistic prosperity, including food security, climate resilience, and women’s empowerment, to the agriculture sector through Artificial Intelligence (AI).

He emphasised that the use of AI should not be limited to exhibitions and discussions but must reach the masses on a large scale.

CM Fadnavis was speaking at a seminar titled ‘AI in Agriculture’ during the India AI Impact Summit-2026. The Chief Minister expressed the state’s readiness to collaborate with the Centre, global research institutes, and investors to transform farmers’ lives using new technology.

The CM noted that global agriculture faces challenges such as food insecurity, erratic weather, depleting water levels, degrading soil quality, supply chain disruptions, and global market volatility. In such a scenario, AI can play a pivotal role. He remarked, “For many nations, agriculture is not just an economic issue; it is a matter of food security, social stability, economic independence, and national security.”

He highlighted that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the India AI Mission prioritises agriculture, focusing on technology integration, service delivery, and inclusivity. “While nearly half of India’s population is directly or indirectly linked to agriculture, very few have timely access to information regarding climate change, input costs, market prices, and finance. AI can overcome these limitations by providing both backward and forward linkages, offering data on weather shifts, irrigation, fertiliser supply, market fluctuations, and supply chain management,” said the chief minister.

However, he cautioned that AI is “not a magic wand”. He reiterated PM Modi’s vision that AI models must be based on trusted data, good governance, and accountability. Without trust, services related to agriculture cannot be effectively delivered.

CM Fadnavis said that to ensure technology reaches millions, Maharashtra has adopted the Maha-Agri AI Policy. It has some special features like an open and collaborative framework, a multi-lingual mobile platform providing personalised advisory, real-time updates on market trends, climate warnings and guidance on various government schemes.

He noted that the overwhelming response from farmers proves they are ready for AI. “The state aims to develop AI-based testing, integration, and crop sensing while consolidating all agricultural data for the welfare of farmers,” he said.

Union Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi lauded Maharashtra’s contribution to the AI sector, specifically praising the Farmer ID and Digital Crop Survey initiatives.

He mentioned that Maharashtra has launched AI-based services through its ‘Maha-Vistar’ platform (integrated with India-Vistar), providing end-to-end guidance from seeds to market. Currently available in English and Hindi, the service will soon expand to all regional languages.

–IANS

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