India is set to roll out its first artificial intelligence-powered chatbot aimed at improving drought preparedness, offering real-time, multilingual advisories to farmers and government officials, the International Water Management Institute said early this month.
Dubbed SukhaRakshak AI, or “the drought protector,” the chatbot is designed to bridge the gap between data-heavy drought monitoring systems and actionable advice on the ground.
The launch marks a significant step toward strengthening climate resilience in a country where over 120 million smallholder farmers are highly vulnerable to erratic rainfall and intensifying droughts.
“SukhaRakshak AI goes beyond monitoring—it transforms drought data into hyper-local, usable guidance for those who need it most,” said Giriraj Amarnath, lead author and principal researcher at IWMI, in the blog.
Filling the Gaps in Drought Governance
Despite various systems in place, India’s drought response has long struggled with coordination across agencies and accessibility of timely information.
The South Asia Drought Monitoring System, introduced by IWMI in 2016, helped monitor regional drought trends using satellite data and indices. But it lacked user-level customization and real-time outreach.
SukhaRakshak AI builds on SADMS by offering personalized, location-specific recommendations. It employs Google’s Gemini 2.0 Flash, retrieval-augmented generation and real-time indicators from multiple global and national data systems.
These include the Global Ensemble Forecast System, US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and India’s district-level contingency plans.
Real-Time, Multilingual Advisories
The chatbot integrates AI4Bharat and Sarvam AI to deliver text and voice advisories in 22 Indian languages, addressing one of the country’s most persistent barriers in agricultural extension: language.
Whether advising a farmer in drought-prone Odisha on crop switching or guiding an extension officer in Tamil Nadu on fodder planning, SukhaRakshak AI tailors both its content and delivery based on user type.
“Farmers will receive concise, actionable tips, while officials get dashboards and technical summaries,” said Amarnath. “That’s the power of inclusive AI.”
The system is currently accessible through predefined questions, and future updates will enable wider dissemination via mobile phones and laptops.
Pilots and Global Recognition
The chatbot was showcased at the United Nations’ AI for Global Good Summit on July 8. A pilot launch is planned for August 2025 in Odisha and Tamil Nadu, focusing initially on government agencies and extension services. Full farmer-level deployment is expected after fine-tuning based on early feedback.
Part of a Broader Climate Strategy
SukhaRakshak AI is a key component of the Drought Action Catalyst, a global initiative under the CGIAR network led by IWMI. The program seeks to fast-track drought resilience by merging science, policy, and innovation.
The chatbot’s deployment signals a broader push to modernize climate adaptation tools, especially in low- and middle-income countries facing mounting climate threats.
“This is not just about technology—it’s about trust, access, and empowering communities with timely knowledge,” Amarnath said. “It’s about protecting livelihoods before the damage is done.”
