Karnataka is expanding the use of artificial intelligence in agriculture, with the state government working on applications that can track crops across the value chain, from cultivation to the final consumer or export destination.
Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh said the state is looking to take AI applications beyond urban centres and use the technology to address challenges faced by farmers. Speaking at the Moneycontrol Startup Conclave 2026, she said agriculture is among the key sectors identified for wider AI deployment.
As part of the initiative, Karnataka has finalised 27 startup-led innovations in agriculture and horticulture under the Sampurna Grand Challenge. Rajneesh said AI applications capable of tracing individual crops "from seed to plate" across the value chain are ready for rollout.
The proposed system is expected to improve visibility into what happens to agricultural produce after it leaves a farm. The government currently has limited information about produce as it moves through processors and other intermediaries before reaching consumers or export markets. The planned technology will seek to provide greater traceability across these stages.
Karnataka is already using AI to deliver personalised crop advisories to farmers. An AI cell within the state's e-governance department sends information in Kannada through voice and audiovisual formats, providing farmers with crop-specific guidance based on changing conditions.
Rajneesh cited an example from north Karnataka where farmers were informed that existing crops were unlikely to survive because of an expected shortage of rainfall. The government subsequently supplied seeds for an alternative crop suited to the anticipated conditions. According to her, several farmers who received the advisory planted a second crop, including ragi, which later grew successfully.
The state has also launched an Agritech Mission as part of its 100-day programme, with a focus on using emerging technologies to improve agricultural productivity and livelihoods.
The government plans to connect startups and technology innovators with farmers, farmer producer organisations, exporters and processors. A forthcoming Krishi Mela is expected to provide a platform for these stakeholders to interact and explore the deployment of agricultural technologies.
Karnataka's push comes alongside its broader adoption of digital technologies in agriculture. In August, the state announced an integrated digital crop survey using AI, satellite imagery and drone technology.
Beyond agriculture, the state is exploring AI applications in areas such as grievance redressal and employee attendance. For agriculture, however, the current focus spans both ends of the value chain, using AI to provide farmers with more targeted information while developing systems to follow produce after it leaves the farm.
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