Davos/New Delhi:
One of the big themes at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in recent years has been artificial intelligence (AI), and the future of food and agriculture is critical. Nadir Godrej, chairman of Godrej Agrovet, said in an interview with NDTV in Davos that artificial intelligence is playing a big role in the food sector and Godrej Agrovet is leveraging AI in several areas. .
“We are in the crop protection business, producing chemicals that help protect crops. We use photos to find diseases in crops. AI studies photos of crops and “This is very helpful.” Godley said.
He gave an example of how large oil palm plantations owned by smallholders who do not have the resources to manage their plantations could benefit from the use of IA.
“In our oil palm business, we take satellite images of all oil palm plantations owned by smallholder farmers. Once we see the photos, we can give them (smallholder farmers) advice and what fertilizers to use. can tell you what to use We also carry out soil tests, all of which are analyzed and where possible we use artificial intelligence to give us the right advice to improve our production and the quality of the oil we produce.” said the chairman, a diversified agribusiness major. NDTV.
He said AI can help reduce inputs and costs, such as fertilizers. But what exactly should we do?
Godrej said, “If you know the exact condition of your crops, you won’t overuse fertilizers. Overuse of fertilizers causes pollution and damages the soil, but if you use the right amount, it can be very effective.” “It’s good for us,” he said, adding that he is working with AI. Godrej Agrovet has a large staff of AI experts who are employed by companies around the world.
The other area where the company is using AI is in its food business.
“…to manage your store, we take photos of your store to check the shelf space occupancy. All photos are analyzed by artificial intelligence, which greatly increases the productivity of all sales staff. ” said Godrej.
Regarding President Trump’s inauguration and tariffs
Mr. Godrej agreed that the issue of customs duties is important and obviously for agriculture as well. With Donald Trump 2.0 on the horizon and speculation of a tariff battle in the near future, it will be a challenge for Indian companies, Godrej said.
“…For some items, we have high tariffs. It would be good for us to aggressively reduce some of those tariffs. To protect our industry, we no longer needs such high tariffs, many people are already doing manufacturing, and foreign companies are These products are already being manufactured in India and we are importing these products, so reducing some of these tariffs will help us avoid being affected by the high tariffs,” Godrej said. He said, adding that if China is affected by high tariffs, India is also likely to benefit. .
He said sustainability is an integral part of the process not only at Godrej Agrovet but in all of Godrej’s businesses.
“In 2010, we launched a ‘Good and Green’ program aimed at environmental sustainability and social sustainability, which was very successful. We have mandated CSR (corporate social responsibility) spending and leveraged it to contribute to society, not just to meet our sustainability goals but also across the board,” Godrej said.
The World Economic Forum said its five-day meeting in Davos, which began today, will consider ways to restart growth, harness new technologies and strengthen social and economic resilience. The global conference is attended by nearly 3,000 leaders, including 350 government leaders from more than 130 countries.
India’s participation in Davos is aimed at strengthening partnerships, attracting investment and positioning the country as a global leader in sustainable development and innovation. This time, India sent five Union ministers, three state chief ministers, and ministers from several other states to the WEF.
