AI in Agriculture May Cause Largescale Displacement: RSS Affiliate
Farming in India (Image credit X.com Farm Vibes)
Small Farmers Need Protection Against AI-led Farming: RSS Affiliate
By S Jha
New Delhi, March 1: An affiliate of the RSS has called for caution in adoption of AI in farming. It warned of pitfall of AI-enabled precision farming in the backdrop of deployment of Microsoft’s FarmVibes AI in Baramati in Maharashtra.
The RSS affiliate mentioned the deployment of Microsoft’s FarmVibes AI in Baramati to raise concerns on pitfalls of increasing influence of technology in agriculture.
“With nearly half of India’s workforce engaged in agriculture, the widespread adoption of AI raises significant concerns about employment displacement, livelihood security, and the evolving role of agricultural workers in a highly digitalized ecosystem,” said Dattopant Thengadi Foundation in a note on AI in agriculture.
It quoted the “recent Economic Survey showing an increase in agricultural employment, likely due to distress-driven migration from the manufacturing and services sectors”. “Despite this, rural wages have remained stagnant, and a significant portion of agricultural labour remains informal, characterized by low wages and seasonal fluctuations. The introduction of AI into this context presents a dual challenge,” added the Dattopant Thengadi Foundation, an organisation linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS).
It stated that “the impact of AI on agricultural work will likely manifest in multiple ways. Traditional manual roles may decline as precision farming technologies reduce the need for extensive human intervention in sowing, irrigation, and harvesting.”
“The ability of AI-driven models to monitor soil health and pest infestations could replace the need for human field assistants, leading to further job contraction. At the same time, AI adoption may generate new employment opportunities in data management, drone operations, and agri-tech support services,” added the RSS affiliate.
It warned that “new roles will require specific technical skills, which most agricultural workers currently lack, thereby increasing the risk of technological exclusion”. “This transition may also result in market control shifting away from small farmers and workers towards large agribusinesses and AI solution providers, reducing the agency of those traditionally engaged in farming,” added the Dattopant Thengadi Foundation.
It also stated, “if AI technologies primarily benefit large agribusinesses while rendering small-scale farming less viable, it could accelerate land consolidation, forcing small farmers and agricultural workers out of the sector”.
“The growing reliance on AI also raises concerns regarding market control and corporate dependency. If AI-backed agribusinesses dictate farming decisions, access to technology, and pricing mechanisms, small farmers and workers may find themselves in a vulnerable position where they have limited control over their livelihoods,” added the Dattopant Thengadi Foundation.
It also raised concerns about the “ownership of agricultural data”. “If AI-generated insights are controlled exclusively by corporations, it could marginalize small farmers and workers from the benefits of digitized agriculture,” warned Dattopant Thengadi Foundation.
It also stated that the “risk of AI-driven models prioritizing commercial cash crops over food security-focused farming is another critical aspect, as it could lead to market distortions and ecological concerns”.
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