In a significant push for digital agriculture, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced during her Budget 2026-27 speech on Sunday that the Centre will soon roll out a multilingual artificial intelligence tool named Bharat-VISTAAR. This innovative initiative is designed to integrate the government's AgriStack portals with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research's (ICAR) comprehensive package on farm practices, leveraging AI systems to transform farming in India.
Enhancing Farm Productivity with AI-Driven Solutions
"I propose to launch Bharat-VISTAAR — a multilingual AI tool that shall integrate the AgriStack portals and the ICAR package on agricultural practices with AI systems. This will enhance farm productivity, enable better decisions for farmers and reduce risk by providing customised advisory support," stated Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The move is expected to deliver data-driven, personalized advisory support directly to farmers, thereby improving decision-making at the field level and fostering more efficient agricultural management.
Expert Reactions and Industry Insights
Agricultural experts and industry leaders have widely welcomed the Bharat-VISTAAR initiative, highlighting its potential to advance precision farming and boost overall productivity. Ankur Aggarwal, Chairman of CropLife India, emphasized the importance of integration, telling PTI, "Integrating Agri Stack's digital farmer records with ICAR's validated package of practices can support more precise, need-based decisions at the field level. However, digital advisory delivers results only when it is backed by effective on-ground extension systems that ensure guidance reaches farmers in time and is applied correctly in local conditions."
Susheel Kumar, Country Head & Managing Director of Syngenta India, praised the Budget's focus on AI-led agriculture, describing Bharat-VISTAAR as a "recognition of the role of digital advisory in improving farm-level decision-making, productivity and resilience." The tool's emphasis on local languages has also been lauded. M K Dhanuka, Chairman of Dhanuka Agritech, noted, "The announcement of Bharat Vistaar, which will provide customised advisories in local languages, is particularly encouraging. These initiatives can empower farmers to make better and more timely decisions at the field level, supporting productivity and efficient farm management."
A Major Step Towards Technology-Driven Agriculture
Experts cited by PTI view the launch of Bharat-VISTAAR as a pivotal step towards technology-driven, precision agriculture in India. They anticipate that the initiative will help farmers make informed decisions, optimize the use of critical inputs such as water and fertilizers, improve crop yields and nutrition, and significantly reduce agricultural risks. Sandeep Sabharwal, Group CEO of SLCM Ltd, remarked that Bharat-VISTAAR would equip farmers with precise advisories to mitigate risks, while Vinay Nair, Founder of startup KhetiBuddy, highlighted that by providing federated access to soil, weather, advisory, and scheme-related data, farmers would be empowered to make superior decisions at the field level.
The Bharat-VISTAAR tool is set to be a cornerstone of the government's efforts to modernize agriculture through digital innovation, aligning with broader goals of enhancing farm productivity and sustainability across the nation.
