Rajavelu NK, CEO Crop Protection Business, writes on AI led advisories, drone spraying and intelligence driven integration
India’s crop protection sector is undergoing a structural transformation, moving beyond a narrow focus on yield preservation toward a broader objective of safeguarding food security under growing climate stress. Rising temperature extremes, erratic rainfall, labour shortages, and fragmented landholdings are forcing a fundamental rethink of how protection strategies are designed and applied.
In 2025, this shift accelerated sharply. Climate volatility intensified pest pressure and resistance risks, exposing the limitations of repetitive, molecule-centric interventions. Farmers increasingly turned to integrated pest management and precision application methods, marking a transition from reactive spraying to intelligence-led decision making.
Technological adoption played a critical role in this transition. Government-supported initiatives such as the Drone Didi programme brought targeted spraying into the mainstream through more than 15,000 women’s self-help groups. At the same time, around 20 percent of smallholders began using AI-driven pest advisories, supported by weather data and predictive analytics. These developments signalled a move toward anticipatory protection rather than post-damage response.
Climate change has also altered the biological behaviour of weeds and pests. Heat stress, prolonged humidity, and unpredictable precipitation patterns have reduced the effectiveness of conventional control techniques. Increased frequency of pesticide use has raised the risk of resistance, creating a cycle of diminishing returns. As a result, crop protection is increasingly being integrated into adaptive farming systems that combine crop rotation, integrated pest management, and precision delivery using the right formulation, at the right dose, in the right location.
Smallholder farmers remain central to the success of this transition. While they form the backbone of Indian agriculture, their access to capital and extension services remains limited. A digital layer has begun to bridge this gap, with a majority of farmers now receiving weather and pest alerts through SMS, messaging platforms, and vernacular applications. However, the adoption of advanced AI platforms remains uneven, highlighting the need for solutions that are practical, accessible, and locally relevant.
Beyond product innovation, the emphasis is shifting toward advisory-led engagement. Crop specific guidance, bundled solutions, regional language support, and stewardship around dosage, protective equipment, and storage are becoming as important as active ingredients. Digital channels and field demonstrations are playing a growing role in ensuring correct and safe application.
Counterfeit and substandard pesticides continue to pose a systemic threat. An estimated quarter of the market is affected, undermining farmer trust, distorting price signals, and creating environmental and safety risks. Addressing this challenge requires coordinated action across enforcement, retail accountability, packaging traceability, and farmer awareness rather than isolated interventions.
Application technology is also evolving rapidly. Government approval of drone spraying under mechanisation schemes represents a significant inflection point. Precision delivery through drones reduces water usage, limits operator exposure, and improves timing and placement. In parallel, AI-powered pest surveillance and satellite-based advisories are enabling a shift from reactive spraying to predictive intervention, supported by initiatives such as the National Pest Surveillance framework.
Public-private collaboration is emerging as a key enabler across drone adoption, pest monitoring, and counterfeit control. The complexity of agricultural challenges has made it clear that no single stakeholder can address them in isolation.
India’s crop protection ecosystem stands at a decisive moment. Climate stress, resistance pressures, and smallholder constraints are intensifying, but advances in science, technology, regulation, and farmer-centric engagement offer a viable path forward. Success in the coming years will be measured not by volumes applied, but by resilience built through precision, integration, education, and enforcement that protect crops while preserving ecosystems and livelihoods.
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