Rupnagar, March 25 Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said on Wednesday that the future of farming lies in innovation and technology adoption, and artificial intelligence is here to empower farmers.
"Given the rising climate risks, it is now essential to combine knowledge of the land with the power of data," Khudian said while addressing the Smart Agri Summit 2026 held at IIT Ropar here.
He congratulated IIT Ropar's Annam.AI, the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Artificial Intelligence for Agriculture, for deploying such cutting-edge technologies into the real world for the benefit of farmers.
Pushpendra Singh, Project Director of Annam.AI, said, "Our focus is on bringing together research, technology, and on-ground implementation to solve real challenges faced by farmers. By combining real-time data with scientific insights, we aim to make farming more productive, sustainable, and climate resilient."
"Through these initiatives, we are enabling a more technology-driven and resilient agricultural ecosystem in India."
Establishing a scalable Weather Intelligence Network for India, Annam.AI has initiated the deployment of 100 advanced weather stations, beginning with Punjab as the first implementation hub, a statement said.
These AI-based weather stations will deliver hyperlocal, real-time weather data to farmers, enabling precise decisions on sowing, irrigation, and crop protection.
Designed as a model for nationwide expansion, this initiative aims to reduce climate-related risks and improve farm productivity.
To ensure optimal utilization of this technology, Annam.AI will also roll out fully funded AI training for 10,000 students, rural youth, and Agri-professionals.
The skilling programme is designed to build on-ground capabilities and create a strong pipeline of individuals equipped to apply AI in agriculture at scale, it said.