• The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoAFW) has launched a pioneering AI-Based Weather Forecasting Program, aimed at providing real-time, tailored monsoon forecasts to farmers.
• This year, nearly 3.8 crore farmers across 13 states received AI-generated weather updates via SMS through the m-Kisan portal.
• For the first time, AI models were directly used to inform farmers about monsoon progression, successfully identifying a 20-day pause in rainfall and sending weekly updates until continuous rains reached their region.
• The forecasts combined two open-access AI models—Google’s Neural GCM and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts’ (ECMWF) Artificial Intelligence Forecasting Systems (AIFS)—ensuring accurate and actionable weather information.
• The program focuses on farmer-centric advisories in simple language, enabling informed agricultural decisions related to sowing, irrigation, and crop management.
• The m-Kisan portal facilitates this communication by tailoring messages to farmers’ language, location, and preferred agricultural practices, while also providing guidance on pest control, crop care, and government schemes.
• This initiative represents a significant step in leveraging artificial intelligence to empower India’s farming community and mitigate weather-related risks.