Mumbai: Maharashtra will host the prestigious ‘AI for Agri 2026’ Global Conference and Investment Summit on February 22 and 23 at the Jio World Convention Centre, Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane announced on Thursday.
AI Policy-Driven Initiative
The two-day global event is being organised under the state’s ‘Maharashtra Agriculture–Artificial Intelligence Policy 2025–2029’ with the objective of integrating cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into the agricultural sector and empowering farmers with global innovations.
Empowering Farmers with AI
“Through artificial intelligence, farmers in Maharashtra should gain access to global technologies and adopt innovative practices in agriculture. The AI for Agri 2026 conference will serve as a major platform to connect farmers, startups, investors and global experts,” Bharane said.
Global Institutional Collaboration
The conference is being organised in collaboration with leading international and national institutions, including the World Economic Forum, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), World Bank Group, Asian Development Bank (ADB), ICRISAT, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF).
Global experts, agri-tech startups, financial institutions and investors from across the world are expected to participate.
Inaugural Session Details
On February 22, registration will be held from 9 am to 10 am, followed by the inauguration of the agriculture exhibition.
The conference will feature prominent speakers including Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, Union Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi, Maharashtra Chief Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, World Bank Executive Director Parameswaran Iyer, FAO Digital’s Chief Communications Officer Dejan Jakovljevic, and UNDP Resident Representative Angela Lusigi, among others.
The formal inauguration will take place between 3 pm and 4.10 pm in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT Jitendra Singh, Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane, India AI Mission CEO Abhishek Singh and Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture) Vikas Chandra Rastogi.
Launch of AI Initiatives
During the event, the launch of MahaAgriX, a Bhili tribal language large language model (LLM), MahaVistar voice telephony initiative, and agreements related to plant pest and disease identification technologies are expected.
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Focus on Digital Infrastructure
Multiple parallel sessions will cover themes such as responsible AI in agriculture, bridging gender-based digital divides, digital public infrastructure (DPI) for agriculture, institutional finance frameworks, value chain efficiency, agricultural data exchange, AI convergence pathways, and generative AI in agriculture.
On February 23, discussions will focus on digital public infrastructure in agriculture, scaling digital agricultural finance models, policy solutions for gender-inclusive AI ecosystems, AI-driven agri-investments, transparency and risk management mechanisms, remote sensing and spatial intelligence, and building a global AI-enabled agricultural research network.
A dedicated investment discussion session will be held in the afternoon, followed by the valedictory function, during which the theme for AI for Agri 2027 will be announced.
Boost to Agri-Tech Ecosystem
Minister Bharane said the summit would position Maharashtra as a global hub for AI-driven agricultural innovation.
“This conference will not only accelerate agri-tech innovation but also attract significant domestic and global investments into Maharashtra’s agriculture ecosystem,” he said.
With policymakers, technology leaders and financial institutions converging in Mumbai, the state aims to lay the foundation for a digitally empowered and globally competitive agricultural sector.
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