ISMA launches national AI network to boost sugarcane productivity

New Delhi [India] August 5 : The Indian Sugar and Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) has launched a pioneering National AI-ML Network Program with Agriculture Development Trust (ADT), Baramati.

This initiative leverages the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to significantly enhance sugarcane productivity, quality, sustainability, and most importantly, farmers' incomes.

ISMA's initiative aims to ensure that farmers remain central to this transformation. Higher yields and better resource use not only improve sugar recovery but also directly boost farm profitability.

To implement this at scale, ISMA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the ADT, Baramati, and Map My Crop (MMC), a leading agri-tech platform specializing in AI-driven farm monitoring. Together, they have launched this National Network Program on the Impact of AI & ML on Sugarcane Productivity, Quality, and Sustainability under Diverse Agro-Ecological Conditions.

Through the ADT's collaboration with the University of Oxford and Microsoft, a groundbreaking project titled "Application of AI, computer vision and machine learning for Game-Changing Improvements in Sugarcane Crop Farming Practices" was started in 2024, more than 1,000 farmers were empowered with AI-driven solutions, including machine learning and computer vision tools, to enhance their sugarcane farming practices.

Commenting on the launch, Deepak Ballani, Director General, ISMA said, "At the heart of this initiative is the Indian farmer. When we talk about increasing productivity, we are ultimately talking about increasing farmer income, ensuring their long-term sustainability, and making agriculture more resilient. This technology-backed network will help farmers take better decisions, use fewer resources, and get better returns per acre."

The AI Network Program is being rolled out in key sugarcane-growing regions and will involve sugar mills, research institutions, and farmer groups. Field demonstrations and capacity-building sessions are planned to promote rapid adoption.

The program is designed to deliver practical, farmer-centric benefits aimed at improving productivity and sustainability. It will offer location-specific precision farming modules and use satellite-based technology to map soil health and fertility. Farmers will receive real-time pest and disease alerts through remote sensing, along with image-based weed detection and control systems.

The program also includes custom weather advisories and water stress monitoring to help with timely decision-making. IoT-enabled precision irrigation will enhance water efficiency, while Variable Rate Application (VRA) will optimize fertilizer use.

Overall, these initiatives will help reduce both input costs and the carbon footprint of farming operations.

The body said that forward-looking program is expected to serve as a national model for digitally driven, sustainable agriculture that puts farmers first, strengthens India's bio-energy value chain, and helps meet the country's ambitious blending and export goals.

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