Abu dhabi: The Agricultural Innovation Mechanism for Scale (AIM for Scale) announced a commitment to reach 100 million farmers with digital advisory services by 2030 during COP30. Supported by the International Affairs Office of the Presidential Court of the UAE and the Gates Foundation, this initiative unites the Asian Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, and the Governments of Ethiopia and India, among others.
According to Emirates News Agency, these efforts aim to deliver science-based insights, such as weather forecasts and pest advisories, directly to farmers, enhancing decision-making and productivity. This milestone is tied to AIM for Scale's new Innovation Package on Digital Advisory Services for Agriculture and builds on its previous package launched at COP29, which secured over $1 billion in commitments to scale weather services for farmers.
Mariam Almheiri, Head of the International Affairs Office at the Presidential Court, highlighted the global impact of climate uncertainty on farmers and emphasized the UAE's role in promoting innovative solutions and collaborations. AIM for Scale embodies this vision by uniting governments and partners to invest in scalable solutions that improve livelihoods and food systems worldwide.
As part of the partnership, the Asian Development Bank aims to assist 20 million farmers in accessing timely advisories in Asia and the Pacific. Noelle O'Brien, Director of Climate Change at the Asian Development Bank, noted the importance of digital solutions and investment in climate information services.
In Ethiopia, the Agricultural Transformation Institute collaborates with AIM for Scale to provide tailored advisories to over seven million farmers via the 8028 Hotline. Starting in 2026, AIM for Scale will expand partnerships in eleven additional countries to embed digital advisory services into national agricultural systems.
Partners are already making progress toward this goal. In India, AI-based monsoon forecasts were provided via SMS to 38 million farmers, demonstrating the value farmers place on these services. Pramod Meherda from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare of India emphasized the impact of AI-driven weather forecasting on agricultural planning.
This initiative was enhanced by a collaboration between the University of Chicago's Human-Centered Weather Forecasts Initiative and Precision Development, supported by AIM for Scale. Nobel Laureate Michael Kremer noted the success of these forecasts in providing decision-relevant information at low cost.
To sustain these advances, the AIM for Scale AI Weather Forecasting for Agriculture Training Programme was launched in Abu Dhabi, bringing together agencies from various countries for intensive training. Paul Winters, Executive Director of AIM for Scale, emphasized the importance of providing farmers with the information they need to improve their livelihoods.
The Inter-American Development Bank is committed to adapting proven models to local contexts to build productive and resilient food systems. Morgan Doyle of the IDB highlighted the importance of partnerships in ensuring digital agriculture reaches every region by 2030.
New investments from the Gates Foundation are advancing forecast benchmarking in Africa to evaluate AI models' performance. Neil Hausmann of the Gates Foundation noted the importance of local evaluations to ensure models meet the needs of small-scale farmers and policymakers.
Amir Jina from the University of Chicago emphasized the significance of last-mile delivery in the success of digital advisory services, highlighting the need to test and learn from real-world interactions to enhance digital systems' effectiveness and scalability.