Smart agro-technologies workshop: CSIR showcases AI, IoT for soil and crop health in Kerala
CSIR conducted a two-day national workshop titled “Farm Data to Decisions: Workshop on Smart Agro-Technologies for Soil and Crop Health” at the Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS) of Kerala Agricultural University, Kumarakom, Kerala, on 5–6 March 2026.The event opera...
CSIR conducted a two-day national workshop titled “Farm Data to Decisions: Workshop on Smart Agro-Technologies for Soil and Crop Health” at the Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS) of Kerala Agricultural University, Kumarakom, Kerala, on 5–6 March 2026.
The event operated under the CSIR Mission on Region Specific Smart Agro-Technologies for Soil and Plant Health (RSSA), which aims to transform traditional farming through smart agro-technologies to boost productivity, profitability, and sustainability.
G. K. Patra, Director of CSIR-Fourth Paradigm Institute (CSIR-4PI) and RSSA Mission Director, outlined the mission’s objectives and how AI, IoT, remote sensing, and precision engineering enable data-driven farmer decisions with potential for higher yields and economic savings.
N. Kalaiselvi, Director General of CSIR and DSIR Secretary, inaugurated the workshop and stressed CSIR’s mission-mode programs supporting small and marginal farmers with innovative technologies and scientific interventions.
B. Ashok, Vice Chancellor of Kerala Agricultural University, highlighted the importance of collaboration among national research bodies, agricultural universities, and government agencies to empower farmers with technology-driven solutions.
Directors from CSIR laboratories and partner institutions addressed attendees and shared perspectives on RSSA and related technologies advancing precision agriculture in India. Vibha Malhotra Sawhney emphasized the mission’s role in precision agriculture, and other speakers discussed climate-smart agriculture within RSSA.
The workshop featured live field demonstrations of innovative technologies, including a Variable Rate Fertiliser Applicator (ground and UAV-based) with a 3.5 square metre spatial resolution; an AI-based mobile app and cloud solution to identify paddy diseases from field images and generate crop-stress maps for targeted pesticide application; an IoT-based microclimate observation network established across Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu; and low-cost indigenous optical soil nutrient probes with over 10 years of lifespan that measure multiple nutrients in real time.