The Indian Institute of Technology Ropar has launched an artificial intelligence-powered learning platform designed to help children understand plants, crops, food and agriculture through objects and environments they encounter in everyday life.
Called AVNI - Grow with Nature, the platform has been developed by ANNAM.AI, IIT Ropar's Centre of Excellence in AI for Digital Agriculture. Available through web and mobile platforms, AVNI combines AI-based identification with interactive activities to introduce children to agricultural concepts through observation and exploration.
One of the platform's key features allows children to identify plants, fruits, vegetables and crops around them using AI. A plant growing in a school garden, a fruit at home or a crop in a nearby field can be used as a starting point for learning about its characteristics and role in agriculture.
AVNI covers categories including cereals, millets, spices, fruits and vegetables. The platform is available in Hindi and English and includes audio content aimed at making the learning material accessible to younger children.
The app also features Daily Challenges, a Digital Nature Book, Nature Gallery and Crop Compare. These tools are designed to encourage children to observe their surroundings, document what they discover and compare different crops and plants instead of relying only on conventional reading-based learning.
According to IIT Ropar, the initiative is intended to introduce basic agricultural knowledge to children before they encounter agriculture as a formal area of study. The approach connects digital learning with physical surroundings, allowing users to explore the relationship between plants, food and farming through everyday experiences.
The platform has been developed by Dr Mukesh Saini, Co-project Director of ANNAM.AI at IIT Ropar. The centre itself is focused on applying artificial intelligence to agriculture and is supported by the Ministry of Education. IIT Ropar has also been expanding its academic and research work in digital agriculture, including programmes that combine AI, data science and agricultural applications.
AVNI extends this work to younger learners by using AI as an identification and learning tool rather than limiting the technology to research or farm-level applications.
The launch comes as educational institutions increasingly explore how AI can support interactive learning beyond conventional classroom formats. In AVNI's case, the technology is being used to connect digital information with children's immediate surroundings, with the aim of building an early understanding of agriculture, food systems and nature.
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