Agriculture Ministry sent AI-based monsoon forecasts to 3.8 crore farmers
The Agriculture Ministry said on 12 September 2025 that it sent AI-based monsoon onset forecasts by SMS through m-Kisan to nearly 3.8 crore farmers in 13 states this year, up to four weeks ahead of the rains.
Summary
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare said on 12 September 2025 that it had sent AI-based monsoon forecasts by SMS through m-Kisan to nearly 3.8 crore farmers across 13 states this year. The forecasts were available up to four weeks ahead of the rains, helping farmers plan kharif sowing decisions. The ministry described it as the first-of-its-kind targeted dissemination of AI weather forecasts to farmers. The forecasts blended two open-access models, Google's NeuralGCM and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts' Artificial Intelligence Forecasting System (AIFS). Ministry officials reviewed the programme with Nobel laureate Michael Kremer of the University of Chicago on 8 September.
Key facts
- Reach
- ~3.8 crore farmers in 13 states, via m-Kisan SMS
- Lead time
- Up to 4 weeks before monsoon rains
- Models
- Google NeuralGCM + ECMWF AIFS (open-access)
- Purpose
- Kharif planning
- Review
- With Nobel laureate Michael Kremer, 8 Sep
Practice MCQs 2 questions
Through which platform did the Agriculture Ministry send AI-based monsoon forecasts by SMS to about 3.8 crore farmers in 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — m-Kisan
The ministry sent AI-based monsoon forecasts via SMS through m-Kisan to nearly 3.8 crore farmers across 13 states.
The AI-based monsoon forecasts sent to farmers in 2025 blended which two open-access models?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — Google's NeuralGCM and ECMWF's AIFS
The forecasts used by the ministry were a blend of Google's NeuralGCM and the ECMWF's Artificial Intelligence Forecasting System (AIFS), which outperformed other forecasts at predicting local monsoon onset.