Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications, Government of India hosted the Second meeting of the UN Global Initiative on AI for Agri-Food Systems (GI-AI4FS) alongside India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026. The meeting was jointly hosted with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India. The GI-AI4FS is a UN Global Initiative, coordinated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in close collaboration with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and World Food Programme (WFP).
Key developments
The meeting witnessed active participation from around 70 delegates in-person and 25 participants online, bringing together representatives of international organisations, government departments, agricultural research institutions, academia, industry and standards development organisations to advance global cooperation on the application of Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in agriculture and food systems.
The inaugural session commenced with opening remarks by Dr. Sebastian Bosse, Chair of GI-AI4FS, followed by keynote addresses by Mr. Krishnan Pallassana, Senior Specialist – Strategy, Innovation & Partnerships, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Dr. Bilel Jamoussi, Deputy Director, Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB), ITU; Dr. A. K. Nayak, Deputy Director General (Natural Resource Management), ICAR, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare; Mr. Syed Tausif Abbas, Senior Deputy Director General & Head, TEC, DoT, India.
The meeting highlighted the growing role of AI, the Internet of Things (IoT) and digital connectivity in transforming agricultural practices and strengthening agri-food systems. The integration of connected sensors, weather stations, drones, satellite-based systems and AI-enabled analytics can support precision agriculture, improve resource utilisation, enable early detection of crop diseases and help farmers make informed decisions. Digital technologies also offer opportunities to improve traceability, reduce post-harvest losses and enhance efficiency across agricultural supply chains.
This meeting was preceded by a 2-day International Hackathon on ‘AI for Agri-Food Systems’, held on 8–9 October 2026, also jointly hosted by TEC, DoT and ICAR at the ICAR campus, New Delhi. The hackathon provided a collaborative platform for students, researchers, developers and innovators to develop practical technology solutions addressing real-world challenges in agriculture and food systems.
Background and details
The GI-AI4FS meeting further featured a showcase of outcomes from this International Hackathon on AI Innovation for Resilient Agri-Food Systems. Shortlisted teams presented their solutions and demonstrated innovative AI applications developed during the hackathon. The programme also included the presentation of winning solutions and recognition of outstanding innovations, along with an award ceremony acknowledging the contributions of participating teams, partners, mentors and other contributors.
The meeting also addressed the governance architecture and organisational development of GI-AI4FS. The agenda included deliberations on the proposed governance and coordination structure, the nomination and confirmation of Working Group (WG) Chairs and Co-Chairs and members, the Terms of Reference of the Working Groups and the identification of priority areas and initial work streams.
Overall, the second meeting of GI-AI4FS provided a platform for advancing dialogue on the responsible use of AI in agriculture and food systems by promoting trustworthy and interoperable farmer-centric AI solutions, strengthening international cooperation on governance and standards and identifying opportunities to translate innovation into practical applications.
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Exam revision: key facts
Recall the answer first, then expand it to check the evidence from this article.
What is the main development reported?
Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications, Government of India hosted the Second meeting of the UN Global Initiative on AI for Agri-Food Systems (GI-AI4FS) alongside India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026. The meeting was jointly hosted with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India. The GI-AI4FS is a UN Global Initiative, coordinated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in close collaboration with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and World Food Programme (WFP).
Which dates or figures are stated in context?
The meeting witnessed active participation from around 70 delegates in-person and 25 participants online, bringing together representatives of international organisations, government departments, agricultural research institutions, academia, industry and standards development organisations to advance global cooperation on the application of Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in agriculture and food systems.