Patiala: ANNAM.AI, the Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for Agriculture set up at IIT Ropar by the Union ministry of education, on Wednesday announced a set of initiatives aimed at accelerating AI-led, data-driven farming in India.As part of the plan, ANNAM.AI launched the deployment of 100 AI-based weather stations, with Punjab as the first implementation hub, to build a scalable Weather Intelligence Network for Indian agriculture. To be provided free of cost, the stations will deliver hyperlocal, real-time weather data to help farmers make informed decisions on sowing, irrigation and crop protection.The initiative is being rolled out in phases and is intended to serve as a model for wider expansion across states including Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Odisha, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra.To support adoption of the technology, ANNAM.AI also announced fully funded AI training for 10,000 students, rural youth and agri-professionals to build field-level capacity for the use of AI in agriculture.Speaking at the Smart Agri Summit 2026 at IIT Ropar, Punjab agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said AI would help farmers tackle rising climate risks and improve decision-making.The summit brought together stakeholders from govt, academia and the agri-tech sector to discuss technology-led, farmer-focused solutions.
