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Athena Infonomics is beginning a new chapter of collaboration with the Government of Andhra Pradesh and the Gates Foundation to strengthen primary-sector systems through data, intelligence, and farmer-centric innovation.

This week, the Athena Infonomics team and the Gates Foundation India, met Shri B. Rajsekhar, I.A.S., Ex-Officio Special Chief Secretary to Government, Agriculture and Cooperation Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Shri Dr. Manazir Jeelani Samoon, IAS, Director of Agriculture, Government of Andhra Pradesh and agri-allied sector department heads, to initiate a state-led initiative that reimagines Rythu Seva Kendras (RSKs) as AI-enabled decision intelligence hubs serving small-scale and tenant farmers across agriculture, horticulture, livestock, and fisheries sectors.

Aligning with the state’s Swarna Andhra@2047 vision, driving 15% annual growth rate in the primary sector through data-driven decision-making, climate resilience, and market-oriented pathways promoting sustainability and inclusion—the partnership harnesses artificial intelligence and advanced analytics to democratize access to precise hyper-local insights. The collaboration transforms RSKs from administrative service units into dynamic, tech-powered problem-solving units that deliver hyper-localized, real-time advisories on crop health, pest alerts, optimal input application, livestock management, fisheries practices, and market opportunities—tailored specifically for the smallholder and tenant farmer context.

At the heart of this transformation is AI-driven innovation:

• Intelligent Advisory Systems that analyze satellite imagery, weather patterns, soil data, and local agricultural practices to generate personalized, actionable recommendations delivered directly to farmers through RSK touchpoints in Telugu via WhatsApp, IVR, and SMS
• Predictive Analytics that enable RSKs to anticipate pest outbreaks, disease risks, input shortages, and market gluts—empowering proactive rather than reactive interventions
• Real-time Dashboards integrated with AP AIMS 2.0 that provide RSK staff, extension workers, and department officials with live visibility into farmer needs, scheme coverage gaps, input supply chain status, and emerging ground-level challenges
• Household-level GVA Tracking and Enhancement using AI-powered recommendations to boost farmer incomes across all four primary sectors, ensuring evidence-based targeting and continuous program refinement
• Market Intelligence Integration connecting farmers—especially tenant farmers with limited bargaining power—to real-time price information, quality standards, and buyer networks through RSK-facilitated digital platforms

Athena, along with our partner Catalyst Management Services (CMS), is working closely with GoAP and the Gates Foundation to shape the digital and AI-enablement layer guiding this transformation. This includes strengthening linkages with AP AIMS 2.0, improving real-time decision systems, and laying the foundation for a state-anchored Programme Management Unit that supports RSKs as dynamic service hubs.

The goal is to support a model that is:
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1. ‍Farmer-responsive – enabling RSK teams to act on timely, actionable insights‍
2. Evidence-driven – improving planning and governance across primary-sector institutions‍
3. Scalable and institutionally owned – ensuring long-term continuity‍
4. Replicable – offering a pathway other states can adapt

We look forward to continuing this collaboration with GoAP to establish Andhra Pradesh as a global exemplar of AI-enabled, inclusive agricultural transformation and to strengthen each RSK as an AI-powered node of rural transformation.

We are thankful to Sri Rama Shankar Naik IAS (Commissioner of Fisheries, GoAP), Smt. RVV Swarna Vijaya (Deputy Director - Planning, Department of Agriculture, GoAP), Smt. M.Vijaya Suneetha IAS (Director of Agricultural Marketing, GoAP), Dr. T. Damodar Naidu (Director of the Animal Husbandry, GoAP) for their presence and guidance towards the project.

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To know more about the project, you can reach out to Amit Chakravarty, Soumya Alamuru, Michael Minkoff, Abdul Latheef, Suvabrata Roy, Ankit Chatri, Doyita Basu, Aarushi Aggarwal.

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Image used for representational purposes only; source: Canva