- The roundtable was co-chaired by Mr. Rentala Chandrashekhar, Former Secretary, GOI (IT & Telecom); and Former President, NASSCOM and Dr. Ashok Gulati, Padma Shri; Distinguished professor, ICRIER
- Fasal founder shared that their AI deployments across 150,000 acres saved 83 billion litres of water and cut 56,000 metric tonnes of emissions
Bengaluru, 08 December 2025 – Prosus, in partnership with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, convened the second chapter of its AI for All: Catalysing Jobs, Growth, and Opportunity roundtable series titled “Amrit Krishi: AI for Agriculture” in New Delhi. The dialogue brought together senior policymakers, researchers, agritech founders, financial institutions, and industry leaders to explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can drive India’s next agricultural leap. Co-chaired by Mr. Rentala Chandrashekhar and Dr. Ashok Gulati, the session featured leaders including Shri V. Balasubramanian (NABARD), J. Satyanarayana (WEF C4IR India), Prakash Kumar (Wadhwani Center), agritech innovators such as Shailendra Tiwari (Fasal), industry voice Sanjay Sacheti (Olam India), and Sehraj Singh from Prosus.
Sharing his thoughts at the roundtable, Sehraj Singh, VP – Global Policy & Corporate Affairs at Prosus, said: “The discussions at Amrit Krishi reaffirm that AI is not only enhancing on-ground productivity but also ushering an entirely new era for rural employment. As India’s agricultural workforce steadily moves toward higher-value opportunities, AI will accelerate this transition by enabling roles such as drone pilots, agri-data and soil technicians, climate and crop-advisory professionals, and market-linkage specialists. India has the talent, digital infrastructure, and entrepreneurial depth to scale this shift rapidly and inclusively.”
Padma Shri Dr. Ashok Gulati, Distinguished Professor, ICRIER, said: “The next agricultural leap must be driven by precision and this is where AI can be truly transformative. By improving how we use water, fertilisers and market data, AI can help farmers produce more from less and secure a fairer share of value. With the right policy support and strong digital infrastructure, AI can play a pivotal role in raising farmer incomes and building a more sustainable agricultural future.”
Shri V. Balasubramanian, Chief General Manager, NABARD, added: “For AI to reach every farmer, we must pair technology with strong market linkages, capacity building and decentralised rural entrepreneurship. India’s emerging last-mile tech workforce shows that when digital tools meet local trust, adoption accelerates rapidly. This convergence is central to building a more resilient and prosperous agricultural ecosystem.”
Agriculture continues to anchor India’s rural economy, but the sector is at a critical turning point. Intensifying climate variability, soil degradation, rising input costs, and market volatility demand a shift from traditional input-intensive practices to smarter, data-led models. Discussions at the roundtable reflected a shared recognition that AI is no longer aspirational for Indian agriculture; it is essential.
Additionally, the dialogue highlighted real-world evidence of AI’s impact already visible on the ground. Fasal’s AI-driven deployments across 150,000 acres have helped save more than 83 billion litres of water, eliminate 150,000 kilograms of pesticide use, and reduce 56,000 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions; demonstrating how data-led advisory systems can significantly reshape farm-level decision-making.
The rise of decentralised rural enterprise models serves as proof of India’s agricultural workforce transition. S4S Technologies’ solar dehydration network; supporting 3,000+ micro-entrepreneurs, 95% of them women, earning INR 5,000 – INR 12,000 per month; shows how technology, financing and market linkages can scale rural livelihoods. Participants noted that rising labour costs are accelerating mechanisation and tech adoption, creating new roles across the value chain. A key takeaway was the central role of local rural entrepreneurs; FPOs, progressive farmers, village-level entrepreneurs and microenterprises; who form India’s growing ‘last-mile tech force’, with subscription-based AI advisory models showing up to 85% retention.
Leaders also underscored the importance of agricultural digital public infrastructure, including AgriStack and digitised land records, to enable scalable, transparent and efficient delivery of AI-driven services.
Insights from Amrit Krishi will inform the India AI Impact Summit 2026, shaping priorities such as scaling precision agriculture, improving market access, advancing climate and soil research, and strengthening India’s rural digital workforce.
