New Delhi hosts second meeting of global initiative on AI for agri-food systems

The Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), hosted the second meeting of the UN Global Initiative on AI for Agri-Food Systems (GI-AI4FS) alongside the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026 in New Delhi. The event was jointly hosted with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.

The GI-AI4FS is a UN Global Initiative coordinated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in close collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the World Food Programme (WFP). The meeting drew around 70 delegates in-person and 25 online, bringing together representatives of international organisations, government departments, research institutions, academia, industry, and standards development organisations.

The inaugural session featured opening remarks by Dr. Sebastian Bosse, Chair of GI-AI4FS, and keynote addresses by Mr. Krishnan Pallassana (FAO), Dr. Bilel Jamoussi (ITU), Dr. A. K. Nayak (ICAR), and Mr. Syed Tausif Abbas (TEC, DoT). Discussions highlighted the role of AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), and digital connectivity in supporting precision agriculture, improving resource utilisation, and enabling early detection of crop diseases.

The meeting was preceded by a two-day International Hackathon on 'AI for Agri-Food Systems' held on 8–9 October 2026 at the ICAR campus in New Delhi. Shortlisted teams presented their solutions during the GI-AI4FS meeting, where winning innovations were recognised.

The event also addressed the governance architecture of GI-AI4FS, including deliberations on coordination structures, the nomination of Working Group Chairs and Co-Chairs, and the identification of priority areas to promote trustworthy and interoperable farmer-centric AI solutions.