India to Accelerate AI Adoption in Food Processing Sector

India’s officials announced on Wednesday that they plan to accelerate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the food processing sector to improve efficiency, enhance farmers’ incomes, and reduce environmental impact. This initiative will leverage AI’s potential to transform the country’s massive food processing industry.

Roadmap for AI Deployment:

At a conference organized by the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), senior bureaucrats and government advisors highlighted the need for a strategic roadmap to deploy AI tools in the sector. These technologies are still in the early stages of adoption within India’s food processing industry.

Food Processing Secretary Anita Praveen emphasized the need for collaborative efforts, stating, “As an industry, we need to create a roadmap. The MEITY secretary has come on board. I am sure he is going to be a big support in this endeavor,” referring to the Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY).

Government Support for AI Integration:

MEITY Secretary S Krishnan advocated for the broader adoption of AI, noting that while some progress has been made in agriculture, the food processing sector is still nascent in utilizing these technologies.

NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand highlighted the climate-smart benefits of efficient food processing, which enhances farmer incomes and satisfies consumers while reducing environmental impact amid the increasing challenges of climate change.

Innovative AI Applications:

Chand proposed the development of simple, portable AI devices for quality assaying of agricultural produce. 

He emphasized the potential impact of such tools: “Can we think of low-scale devices to check the quality of the produce? Without assaying devices, we still focus on quantity rather than quality.”

Aiming for Net Zero Emissions:

The officials underscored that AI tools could significantly improve the overall efficiency of the food processing sector, contributing to India’s goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2070. 

The sector aims to address critical challenges and foster sustainable growth by integrating AI.

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