Coffee Board Proposes AI-Based Farming Technology Push With IITs
Chikkamagaluru: India’s coffee industry is exploring a collaborative initiative to develop artificial intelligence (AI)-based farm equipment and mechanisation technologies, with the Coffee Board of India calling for closer coordination between research institutions and industry stakeholders.
Kurma Rao M., Chief Executive Officer and Secretary of the Coffee Board, proposed a joint effort involving the Karnataka Planters’ Association (KPA), the United Planters’ Association of Southern India (UPASI), growers’ bodies and the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) at Dharwad and Roorkee. He was speaking at the KPA’s annual conference in Chikmagalur on Monday.
Mr. Rao said the Board had constituted a committee on mechanisation involving experts and industry representatives. IIT Roorkee has developed a prototype harvesting machine suited to Indian conditions, while IIT Dharwad is working with the KPA on technological interventions in agriculture.
He suggested that research institutions and industry bodies pool their expertise rather than pursue separate initiatives. UPASI’s Technical Research Foundation could also contribute, particularly to developing AI-enabled solutions for farm operations.
Mechanisation, especially harvesting, has emerged as a priority amid labour-related challenges and the need to modernise cultivation practices. Mr. Rao said India-specific equipment could improve operational efficiency and address the requirements of coffee-growing estates.
Karnataka accounts for nearly 70% of India’s coffee production, making technological improvements particularly significant for the State’s growers. He emphasised the need for sustained collaboration to translate research and prototypes into practical, field-level solutions.
The Coffee Board is also preparing the sector for the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), with December 2026 identified as the expected compliance timeline. An EUDR compliance module has been incorporated into the India Coffee App to facilitate plantation registration and geolocation.
The Board is working with State governments to integrate land records with agricultural information systems to reduce documentation requirements. It is also collaborating with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) on a blockchain-based traceability system, with data privacy and security as key considerations.
Mr. Rao also highlighted IndiCOFS, an India-specific sustainability framework recognising shade-grown cultivation, biodiversity and traditional soil and water conservation practices. He said collaboration with growers would remain central to developing practical and sustainable solutions across the coffee value chain.
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