Over 92 Lakh Farmer Queries Resolved by AI Chatbot; AI Tools for Pest Detection and Crop Monitoring Expand Across India
NEW DELHI, 8 April 2025: In a bid to drive agricultural transformation through technology, the Government of India is leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and data-driven systems to improve crop productivity, ensure sustainability, and enhance farmer incomes.
Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Ramnath Thakur informed the Lok Sabha that several cutting-edge digital tools — including Kisan e-Mitra — are being used to address challenges in the farming sector and provide real-time advisory to farmers.
Kisan e-Mitra: AI-Powered Voice Chatbot Assisting Farmers
The Kisan e-Mitra is an AI-powered voice-based chatbot developed to respond to farmer queries related to government schemes, starting with the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi.
Key Features:
- Supports 11 regional languages
- Handles over 20,000 queries daily
- Has resolved more than 92 lakh farmer queries to date
- Being expanded to provide information on other government programs beyond PM-KISAN
National Pest Surveillance System Using AI & ML
To address crop losses due to climate change and pest attacks, the government has deployed a National Pest Surveillance System leveraging AI and Machine Learning (ML) capabilities.
Features of the System:
- Enables farmers to capture images of pests using mobile phones
- Provides early warning and mitigation advisories
- Currently supports: 61 crops and over 400 pests
- Used by over 10,000 extension workers across the country
AI for Satellite-Based Crop Monitoring
Further, AI-driven analytics are also being utilized for:
- Satellite-based crop mapping
- Monitoring crop sowing patterns
- Matching crop growth with weather data
- Generating actionable insights for farmers and agriculture departments
Building a Smart Agriculture Ecosystem
These initiatives form a part of India’s larger vision of creating a Smart Agriculture ecosystem powered by Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), AI, and IoT technologies. The integration of AI chatbots, pest surveillance tools, and remote sensing technologies is expected to enable:
- Precision farming practices
- Timely intervention for pest & disease management
- Improved access to government schemes and support
- Better crop planning based on real-time weather and field conditions
Image credit: khetivyapar.com
