AI-driven transformation key to India’s dairy sector, says Dr Kavya Dashora

Dr Kavya Dashora, Associate Professor at IIT-Delhi, known for her work in artificial intelligence applications in agriculture and sustainable technologies, delivered a lecture titled ‘Digital and AI-Driven Transformation of India’s Dairy Sector: Technologies, Talent and the Road to 2047’ at the ICAR–National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), here.

Dr Dashora underscored the need for a digital transformation to address challenges in India’s dairy sector, such as climate stress, animal health and milk quality. She detailed the role of data-centric tools, including animal identification systems, sensor technologies at the farm and animal levels, milk quality assessment platforms and monitoring of cold-chain logistics. These innovations, she explained, enhance operational efficiency and empower informed decision-making.

Dr Dashora also stressed the importance of cultivating a skilled workforce capable of leveraging AI’s full potential. She highlighted the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to integrate AI seamlessly into both dairy research and industry practices.

The event was presided over by Dr Dheer Singh, Vice-Chancellor of ICAR–NDRI, who emphasised the impact of AI on agriculture and animal sciences. Dr Singh highlighted how AI-driven innovations are revolutionising livestock management by enabling early disease detection, optimising resource use and advancing data analytics. He also stressed the importance of incorporating AI technologies into core dairy research to realise India’s vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047 — developing predictive, climate-resilient and sustainable dairy production systems.