By Faridat Salifu
BRICS countries are set to expand cooperation on digital agriculture, with a new initiative aimed at applying Artificial Intelligence (AI), geospatial technology and Digital Public Infrastructure to farmers’ practical needs.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the initiative on Sunday, September 20, 2026, during the opening session of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
Modi said the BRICS Network on Digital Agriculture would create new opportunities for farmers across member and partner countries by making emerging technologies more useful in agricultural production and livelihoods.
“The BRICS Network on Digital Agriculture will create new opportunities for farmers,” he said.
According to Modi, applying AI and geospatial technology to agriculture could help provide practical solutions that improve livelihoods and strengthen farmers’ resilience.
The initiative forms part of broader BRICS efforts to promote innovation, including through its Incubator Network and a proposed Startup Innovation Fund to support innovative and scalable solutions.
Modi, however, warned that the weaponisation of technology and critical minerals could undermine shared progress, stressing the need for inclusive access to technological advances.
The digital agriculture initiative is expected to form part of the bloc’s wider cooperation on innovation, sustainability and inclusive economic growth.
