- Two-day summit unites NABARD, IAMAI, innovators, and rural institutions to champion tech-driven development
- Leaders call for cooperative reform, digital data foundations, and inclusive growth models
- FPO-focused digital platforms, Agri 5.0, and AI-led solutions emerge as key accelerators of rural resilience
- Rural Innovation Expo showcases 90+ booths, spotlighting tribal, women-led, and cooperative enterprises
- Cross-ministerial support signals a national commitment to technology-led rural transformation
NE RURAL DEVELOPMENT BUREAU
GANDHINAGAR, DEC 8
The Gandhinagar edition of the Earth Summit 2025-26, jointly organised by NABARD and the Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), concluded on Saturday at the Mahatma Mandir Convention & Exhibition Centre with a resolute call for technology-led rural transformation. The Summit, themed “Empowering Rural Innovation for Global Change,” brought together innovators, FPOs, cooperatives, agri-startups, women entrepreneurs, rural banks, policymakers, and industry leaders to examine how India’s rural economy can be reshaped through digital inclusion and community-driven development.
A key highlight was the strong focus on the cooperative sector’s pivotal role in rural growth. In a fireside chat, NABARD Chairman Shaji K.V. addressed the structural challenges and untapped potential of cooperatives. “Cooperatives are central to achieving sustainable and equitable growth in a country like India, where every region is at a different stage of development. India now has more than 8.5 lakh cooperative societies with close to 30 crore members, which is one in every four Indians. Yet its value is still underestimated, and its potential is still being explored,” he said. He also stressed modern governance and deeper inclusion as priorities for the future.
During a panel discussion on AI, robotics, and data-driven agriculture, NABARD Deputy Managing Director Goverdhan Singh Rawat emphasised the importance of digital infrastructure. He noted that building a strong, structured digital data foundation for farms and farmers is essential for Agri 5.0. The Government’s agri-stack and Digital Agriculture Mission, he said, are critical steps that will standardise data and enable scalable digital innovations. He cautioned that emerging technologies must remain affordable, intuitive, and accessible to drive grassroots adoption.
Addressing a session on empowering Farmer Producer Organisations, NABARD Deputy Managing Director Ajay Kumar Sood underscored the need for a unified digital ecosystem. He recommended developing a platform inspired by Sahakar Sarathi, adding that an FPO Saathi-like solution could transform nearly 300 existing data points into a dynamic, real-time knowledge engine that connects farmers, banks, and government agencies.
The Rural Innovation Expo drew strong interest, featuring 90 booths that showcased advances in agritech, market linkage tools, and digital rural enterprises. Exhibitors demonstrated how technology is enhancing productivity, transparency, and economic opportunity across rural communities. The Expo also featured high participation from tribal and women-led enterprises, reflecting the Summit’s focus on inclusive growth.
The Summit also echoed the vision highlighted in the inaugural address delivered earlier in the series by Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah, who emphasised that India’s village development is central to the nation’s progress.
Earth Summit 2025-26 is supported by multiple national institutions, including the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, and the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser. This collective engagement signals a unified national commitment to rural transformation through technology, innovation, and policy synergy.
Earth Summit 2025-26 Highlights:
Delegates: 10,000 | Speakers: 500+ | Exhibitors: 250+ | Workshops & Masterclasses: 30+ | Hackathons: 2
