The second meeting of the UN Global Initiative on AI for Agri-Food Systems (GI-AI4FS) was held alongside India Mobile Congress 2026 in New Delhi, bringing together international organisations, researchers, government representatives and industry to discuss the responsible use of artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things in agriculture.
The meeting was jointly hosted by the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), under the Department of Telecommunications, and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Around 70 delegates participated in person and another 25 joined online.
GI-AI4FS is coordinated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in close collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the World Food Programme.
Participants examined how AI, connected devices and digital connectivity could improve agricultural practices and strengthen food systems. Connected sensors, weather stations, drones, satellite-based systems and AI-enabled analytics can support precision agriculture, improve resource utilisation, detect crop diseases early and help farmers make informed decisions.
Discussions also highlighted opportunities to improve traceability, reduce post-harvest losses and enhance efficiency across agricultural supply chains.
The meeting followed a two-day international hackathon on “AI for Agri-Food Systems”, held on October 8–9 at the ICAR campus in New Delhi. Jointly hosted by TEC, DoT and ICAR, the hackathon brought together students, researchers, developers and innovators to build practical solutions to challenges in agriculture and food systems.
Shortlisted teams presented their solutions at the meeting, demonstrating AI applications developed during the hackathon. Winning solutions were showcased, and an award ceremony recognised outstanding innovations and the contributions of participating teams, partners, mentors and other contributors.
The agenda also covered the initiative’s governance and organisational development. Participants discussed its proposed governance and coordination structure, the nomination and confirmation of working group chairs, co-chairs and members, the groups’ terms of reference, and priority areas and initial work streams.
GI-AI4FS Chair Sebastian Bosse delivered the opening remarks. Keynote speakers included FAO Senior Specialist for Strategy, Innovation and Partnerships Krishnan Pallassana; ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau Deputy Director Bilel Jamoussi; ICAR Deputy Director General for Natural Resource Management A. K. Nayak; and TEC Senior Deputy Director General and Head Syed Tausif Abbas.
The meeting focused on promoting trustworthy, interoperable and farmer-centric AI solutions, strengthening international cooperation on governance and standards, and translating technological innovation into practical agricultural applications.
