A World Bank study of AI-powered precision agriculture across 15 countries found that farms using AI systems reduced water consumption by 30% while increasing crop yields by 22%.
The systems use satellite imagery, soil sensors, weather data, and AI algorithms to optimise irrigation, fertiliser application, and harvest timing for individual plots within a farm.
The impact is most significant in water-stressed regions. In India, where agriculture consumes 80% of freshwater, AI precision farming could save enough water to supply 150 million people annually.
Adoption remains concentrated in large commercial farms in developed countries. The World Bank is funding programmes to bring AI farming tools to smallholder farmers in developing countries, who produce 80% of the food consumed in Africa and Asia.