NEW DELHI, 19 July 2025: As India’s agriculture faces mounting threats from climate change and rising pest outbreaks, artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a critical tool in transforming the country’s pest management ecosystem. By integrating advanced data analytics with geospatial and weather data, AI is enabling smarter, faster, and more targeted interventions to protect crop health and ensure farmer resilience.
For decades, pest control in Indian agriculture relied on manual field scouting and blanket pesticide usage—methods that are no longer effective in today’s increasingly unpredictable agro-climatic conditions. The heavy toll of pest damage continues to erode crop yields, particularly impacting smallholder farmers who lack timely access to pest alerts and management resources.
To address this, AI technologies such as drones, IoT sensors, satellite imagery, and mobile-based advisory platforms are being deployed to track pest movement, identify outbreaks early, and send location-specific recommendations. Farmers are increasingly accessing real-time alerts and data-driven advisories, helping reduce excessive pesticide application while protecting crop output.
The Government of India’s Digital Agriculture Mission has been pivotal in mainstreaming such innovations. The launch of the National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS) marks a national-level push towards building predictive pest monitoring infrastructure, delivering early warnings and district-level forecasts.
In Maharashtra, the state-led CROPSAP programme, in conjunction with the MAHAVISTAAR AI app, has demonstrated measurable success in pest control, particularly in cotton-growing regions. This has prompted the state to formalise its efforts through the MahaAgri-AI Policy (2025–2029) to integrate AI across broader agri-decision frameworks.
Beyond Maharashtra, other states are adopting AI-driven pest management for horticulture and field crops, integrating these systems with local extension services and agri-supply chains. The approach represents a shift from reactive pest control to anticipatory and sustainable farming practices.
By embedding AI into core agricultural systems, India is gradually moving toward a resilient, data-informed farming future—one that holds promise especially for small and marginal farmers.
