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ITC Limited plans to extend its artificial intelligence innovations to a larger network of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), organic farmers, and rural communities. This initiative is part of the company's strategy to reach 10 million farmers through its ITCMAARS (Metamarket for Advanced Agriculture and Rural Services) "phygital" ecosystem, which combines digital tools with on-ground human support.
The company is deploying generative AI and agentic AI capabilities to transform its digital platform into a connected agri-stack. These tools are designed to improve the efficiency of FPO operations and provide specific advisory services for organic farming. ITC states that its AI strategy focuses on creating an inclusive ecosystem that enhances efficiency at every stage of farming, from crop planning to market discovery. S Ganesh Kumar, Divisional Chief Executive, Agri Business, ITC Ltd, said, "Today, ITC's Next Generation Agriculture initiative is powered by the ITCMAARS, a full range crop-agnostic 'phygital' model that aims to democratize the access of latest technologies for small farmers, helping them win over critical challenges of climate change, crop management and market access." ITC is also using AI to facilitate real-time knowledge exchange among rural communities. An AI-driven digital assistant and agentic workflows will be used to resolve a large percentage of community questions. This technology acts as a complement to human expert advice. Kumar stated, "Our AI strategy in agriculture focuses on orchestrating a multi-stakeholder inclusive ecosystem that aims to enhance efficiency at every node of farming operation from crop planning, climate-smart advisories, production, input linkages, procurement and market discovery." The ITCMAARS platform already includes several AI-enabled features like Krishi Mitra, Crop Calendar, and Crop Doctor. Krishi Mitra is an AI co-pilot available in eight languages that answers farmer queries on weather, prices, and government schemes. The Crop Calendar helps farmers plan cycles for 53 crop varieties, while the Crop Doctor uses image analytics to diagnose plant diseases. These integrated initiatives have reportedly led to a 10-15 per cent reduction in fertiliser usage and a 15-20 per cent improvement in crop yields. ITC's efforts align with the Indian government's "Bharat VISTAAR" proposal, which seeks to provide farmers with real-time advisories in native languages. The company's model also uses machine learning for crop sourcing and climate modelling to understand yield impacts from climate change. Kumar noted, "We are continuously innovating and forging new partnerships to progressively enhance the scope of AI applications for diverse agri stakeholders and specific farming needs." (ANI)
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