Digitally empowering India’s farming community, the national launch of “Bharat-VISTAAR” will take place on 17 February 2026 in Jaipur. The AI-powered platform will be inaugurated by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, with the presence of Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma. Designed as a single digital gateway for farmers, the system will provide access to schemes, weather forecasts, market prices, crop guidance, and grievance support in their own language through mobile phones or even basic calling services.
During the event, an “AI for Agriculture Roadmap” will also be unveiled, along with announcements such as an AI Hackathon and “Agrikosh.” These initiatives aim to promote innovation in agriculture and equip farmers with advanced technological solutions that improve productivity and decision-making.
Bharat-VISTAAR is structured as a farmer-centric digital public infrastructure that connects multiple government and scientific databases. It will deliver weather updates from IMD, market prices via Agmarknet, and pest-disease advisories from national systems. Farmers will also be able to track applications, benefits, and grievance status for at least ten major government schemes through a single interface.
Built on a voice-first AI model, the platform allows feature-phone users to access services through a helpline. This makes it especially beneficial for rural farmers who have limited internet connectivity or do not own smartphones.
The platform integrates expert recommendations from ICAR, including crop management practices and soil-health-based guidance. Such region-specific and crop-specific insights are expected to help farmers increase yields while reducing risks.
Solving Long-Standing Information Gaps:
Currently, farmers often depend on multiple portals or offices for scheme details, eligibility checks, and application tracking. Similarly, data on weather, prices, and soil health is scattered across sources. Bharat-VISTAAR brings all essential services together into one reliable system, saving both time and effort.
Simple Ways to Use the Platform:
Operating 24×7 as a “digital agriculture expert,” the system can be accessed through a chatbot or a voice-enabled AI assistant named Bharati. Farmers can use it via a mobile app available on Google Play Store, a web interface, or by calling the helpline number 155261.
Services Available at Launch and Future Expansion:
At launch, the platform will offer weather updates, market prices, scientific advisories, and pest alerts, and it will integrate AI systems from states such as Maharashtra, Bihar, and Gujarat, including cooperative-sector innovations like those from Amul. By May 2026, all central schemes are expected to be integrated, and within six months the platform is planned to support 11 languages along with advanced features such as personalized advisory, market analytics, and fertilizer recommendations.
Overall, Bharat-VISTAAR is set to evolve into a nationwide agricultural digital network that strengthens farmers’ incomes and makes farming more efficient, data-driven, and sustainable.
(FAQs):
1. What is Bharat-VISTAAR?
Bharat-VISTAAR is an AI-powered digital platform that provides farmers access to schemes, weather updates, mandi prices, and crop advisories in one place.
2. How can farmers access Bharat-VISTAAR?
Farmers can use the mobile app, web portal, chatbot, or call the helpline number 155261.
3. Does Bharat-VISTAAR work without a smartphone?
Yes, feature phone users can access services through voice-based calling support.
4. What services are available at launch?
Weather updates, mandi prices, pest alerts, scientific crop guidance, and scheme tracking.
5. How will Bharat-VISTAAR benefit farmers?
It saves time, provides reliable data, improves decision-making, and helps increase farm income through AI-based advisory services.
