User Consultation Workshop on SukhaRakshak AI for Drought Management in India Organized

13 August 2025, Hyderabad

A one-day User Consultation Workshop on SukhaRakshak AI (Artificial Intelligence) for Drought Management in India was jointly organized by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad. The workshop aimed to present SukhaRakshak AI to key stakeholders, gather user feedback, and co-design strategies for field-level deployment and scaling.

SukhaRakshak AI—India’s first anticipatory, AI-powered drought advisory system—has been developed by IWMI in collaboration with ICAR and CRIDA. The system integrates artificial intelligence, satellite-based earth observation, probabilistic weather forecasts, and localized contingency plans to deliver predictive, personalized drought advisories in over 20 Indian languages. It empowers farmers to take timely decisions such as shifting to short-duration crops, adopting water-saving practices, or preparing livestock feed alternatives before drought impacts intensify.

The event brought together leading experts along with agricultural extension officers from Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), state government officials, NGOs, researchers, and agricultural experts.

Participants were presented with an overview of the tool’s development, comparative advantages, pilot results, and next steps, including national integration and regional scaling followed by group discussions on five thematic areas: (1) Local Relevance and Advisory Design, (2) Delivery Channels and Last-Mile Connectivity, (3) Data, Forecast Integration, and Trust, (4) Institutional Integration and Operationalization, and (5) Scaling and Sustainability. Each group presented recommendations to strengthen the advisory system.

The workshop served as a pivotal platform for dialogue, co-creation, and alignment among stakeholders working on drought risk management, AI innovation, agricultural extension, and climate resilience. It provided a valuable opportunity to validate SukhaRakshak AI’s features, refine its local relevance, and explore pathways for institutional integration and scale-up.

A total of 60 participants representing ICAR institutes, KVKs, state departments, NGOs, and research organizations attended the event.

(Source: ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad)