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UN GI-AI4FS Second Meeting Held at India Mobile Congress 2026
The second meeting of the UN Global Initiative on AI for Agri-Food Systems (GI-AI4FS) is held alongside India Mobile Congress 2026 in New Delhi. The meeting is jointly hosted by the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC) under the Department of Telecommunications and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
UN Global Initiative on AI for Agri-Food Systems:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Nature | GI-AI4FS comprises a joint United Nations program. |
| Coordination and collaboration | GI-AI4FS is coordinated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in close collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the World Food Programme. |
| Objective | GI-AI4FS strengthens international cooperation on governance and standards, and translates technological innovation into practical agricultural applications. |
| Participation | The meeting comprises around 70 delegates participating in person and 25 joining online. |
| Key discussions | The meeting examines how AI, connected devices, and digital connectivity could improve agricultural practices and strengthen food systems. |
| Technologies | Technologies discussed comprise connected sensors, weather stations, drones, satellite-based systems, and AI-enabled analytics. |
| Use-cases | Use-cases discussed comprise support for precision agriculture, improved resource utilisation, early detection of crop diseases, and informed farmer decision-making. |
| Agricultural supply chain aspects | The meeting highlights opportunities to improve traceability, reduce post-harvest losses, and enhance efficiency across agricultural supply chains. |
| International Hackathon | A two-day international hackathon on “AI for Agri-Food Systems” has been held on October 8-9 at the ICAR campus in New Delhi. |
| Hackathon host | The hackathon is jointly hosted by TEC, the Department of Telecommunications, and ICAR. |
| Hackathon participants | The hackathon brings together students, researchers, developers, and innovators. |
| Hackathon linkage to meeting | Shortlisted teams present their solutions at the meeting, demonstrating AI applications developed during the hackathon. |
| Recognition | Winning solutions are showcased, and an award ceremony recognises outstanding innovations and the contributions of participating teams, partners, mentors, and other contributors. |