Coffee Board Plans AI-Based Farm Tools and Tech Push with IITs

India's coffee sector is planning a major push toward artificial intelligence and mechanisation through a joint effort involving the Coffee Board, planters' associations, and the Indian Institutes of Technology in Dharwad and Roorkee. Kurma Rao M., the Chief Executive Officer and Secretary of the Coffee Board, announced the initiative at the Karnataka Planters' Association annual conference held in Chikmagalur on Monday.

Farm Tech and IITs

The Coffee Board has formed a committee on mechanisation to bring together experts and industry groups. The Board is already working with IIT Roorkee on a harvesting machine prototype built for Indian conditions and is holding discussions with IIT Dharwad regarding new farm technologies. Mr. Rao suggested that industry bodies like the United Planters' Association of Southern India and its technical research foundation pool their skills to create AI-driven tools, avoiding separate efforts.

Production and Compliance

Karnataka produces nearly 70% of India's coffee, making local farm improvements vital for the whole industry. Alongside harvesting tools, the sector is preparing for the European Union Deforestation Regulation with a compliance deadline set for December 2026. The Coffee Board has added a compliance module to the India Coffee App for plantation registration and is working with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing on a blockchain traceability system.

Context

Indian agriculture increasingly looks to technology partners like academic research institutes to solve persistent labor shortages on farms. Frameworks like the India Coffee App and blockchain systems also help growers meet strict global export standards while preserving traditional farming methods.