The Government of Maharashtra has announced a national Call for Proposals (CFP) under the Maha Agri-AI Policy 2025–2029, inviting innovators, startups, and research institutions to develop AI-based solutions that strengthen India’s agri-food systems. The initiative, launched through the AI and AgriTech Innovation Center (AIAIC), seeks to fast-track the use of artificial intelligence, data analytics, and emerging digital tools to make agriculture more productive, sustainable, and climate-resilient.
The Maha Agri-AI Policy 2025–2029 lays out a forward-looking roadmap to transform Maharashtra’s agriculture by integrating AI across every stage of the value chain—from precision farming and soil intelligence to post-harvest management and market linkages. The CFP under the policy is designed to turn innovative ideas into deployable solutions that can help build a tech-enabled, farmer-centric ecosystem and position Maharashtra as a national leader in AI-led agricultural transformation.
The call offers two tracks for participation, accommodating innovations at different stages of maturity and encouraging applications from startups, research institutions, universities, NGOs, FPOs, and consortia. In addition to financial assistance, selected innovators will gain access to key Digital Public Infrastructures (DPIs) and Digital Public Goods (DPGs) of the Government of Maharashtra—such as the Agriculture Data Exchange, Sandboxing Environment, and Generative AI Engine—to accelerate interoperability, innovation, and large-scale validation of AI-based solutions.
The priority areas for proposals include soil and input intelligence, climate resilience and adaptation, farm mechanisation and robotics, post-harvest management and supply chain efficiency, and farmer capacity building and digital advisory.
The CFP will be implemented through a two-track framework, designed to support both early-stage innovation and pilot-ready AI solutions.
Two Track Framework
Under the first track, selected candidates will receive funding support of up to ₹4 million for projects for a duration of approximately six months, enabling innovators to develop and validate early-stage solutions.
Eligible applicants include innovators, startups, and researchers from public research institutions with early-stage projects at the concept, proof-of-concept (PoC), or minimum viable product (MVP) stage that are yet to be tested in real-world conditions. Candidates can propose novel ideas or prototypes leveraging AI and data technologies to address key agricultural challenges, focusing on impact, feasibility, and scalability, with fresh approaches and new participants in agritech also welcomed.
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For the second track, funding support of up to ₹20 million will be provided to accelerate the pilot testing, validation, and scaling of mature AI-based agricultural solutions. Startups, FPOs, NGOs, research teams, or consortia with a working prototype or proven solution ready for pilot deployment are eligible for this stage.
This track emphasizes real-world deployment, impact measurement, and business model validation, ensuring that advanced technologies translate into tangible on-ground outcomes. Participants will receive funding for pilot implementation, field validation, and user feedback integration, along with access to farmer networks, testbeds, and state-level data ecosystems.
The program also provides mentorship and guidance for commercialization and policy integration, that can helping innovators scale sustainable AI-driven solutions across India’s agricultural landscape.
Maharashtra Accelerating AI-Driven Agriculture
The Maha Agri-AI policy was introduced in June 2025 with an initial allocation of ₹5 billion to transform agricultural landscape of the state. The policy seeks to enhance sustainable growth by boosting productivity, building climate resilience ecosystem, and increasing farmer incomes by means of technology driven, farmer-centric interventions. The programme also aims to tackle persistent farm based challenges such as low yields, climate variability, and water stress management with the use of AI and other emerging technologies.
The policy aligns with the strategic vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 and also contributes towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, aiming to create replicable models that position Maharashtra as a national leader in AI-driven agriculture.
The national Call for Proposals under the Maha Agri-AI Policy 2025-2029 represents a decisive step by government of Maharashtra toward accelerating AI-driven innovation in agriculture. By offering funding, technical support, and access to digital public infrastructure, the initiative seeks to turn ideas into deployable, scalable solutions.
By combining policy, funding, and digital public infrastructure, the initiative goes beyond fostering startups, it can build a systemic framework for AI-enabled transformation across the agri-value chain. With dedicated tracks for early-stage and pilot-ready solutions, it creates pathways for both experimentation and scalable deployment.
It can position Maharashtra as a front runner in integrating technology and policy to make India’s agrifood systems more sustainable, data-driven, and future-ready.