Kaveri University brings AI to farming, sets benchmark in tech-driven agriculture education

Breaking new ground in Indian agricultural education, Kaveri University is marrying agricultural education with technology education, a blend that would suit the current requirements of the country’s primary sector.

The university, promoted by the founders of Kaveri Seed Company, aims to address pressing societal needs and industry demands by uniquely combining agriculture with cutting-edge technology, according to V Praveen Rao, Vice-Chancellor of Kaveri University.

Noting that while the Green Revolution in the 1960s was an “appropriate model at that point of time and delivered outcomes that were such that what was needed at that point of time,” he said a shift became necessary to the requirement of current needs of higher yields, better productivity and reduced cost of cultivation.

A dried and scientifically mounted butterfly exhibit. All the butterflies were collected on the campus.

The modern imperative, according to Rao, is ‘regenerative agriculture’. He defined this as “an outcome-based agriculture result-oriented agriculture wherein the soil health is not only protected but improved and challenges like water scarcity, climate change, and biodiversity are addressed”. 

This new paradigm necessitates technology. Rao, who was the Vice-Chancellor of Prof. Jayashankar Telangana State Agriculture University (PJTSAU), emphasised, “without any dispute that technology has a role to play in a big way in agriculture today”. He specifically highlighted the importance of “Artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, machine learning and robotics, including drones”.

Recognising this, the university was conceived as a unique blend: “We need to establish a university that has these two unique combinations, which we don’t have today anywhere in the country.” Unlike older agricultural universities established on the land grant pattern or standalone technological universities, Kaveri University aims to bring these together.

Entomology lab at Kaveri University with high-end Binocular Stereo zoom microscopes and magnascopes

Kaveri University, located at Gowraram near Hyderabad, positions itself as the “first private university in the country with an in-house academia-industry ecosystem” and the “first private university in the country where agriculture and technology go hand in hand.”

This integration is reflected in its diverse course offerings. The university began with a BSc Honours in Agriculture. New B.Tech Computer Science courses include foundational computer science and engineering, AI and ML, Automation and Robotics, Data Sciences, and Cyber Security.

A particularly unique offering will be ‘artificial intelligence in agriculture’ or ‘AI in agriculture’. Post-graduate programs include MSc Agriculture in Agronomy, Soil Science, Genetics and Plant Breeding, and Plant Pathology, with corresponding PhD programmes.

The current student intake is about 550 to 600 across various programmes. “We have a total outlay of ₹1,200 crore over the next six years. We already spent ₹350 crore on college buildings, hostels, laboratory infrastructure and experiential learning units,” Rao said.

He said the university forged alliances with institutes like Western Sydney University, Kansas State University, Franfour Institute (Berlin) for dual degree (2+2) programmes, skilling programmes and collaborative projects.

For digital farming solutions and skilling collaborations, it tied up with Netafim India and Tractor & Farm Equipment (TAFE). 

The university is developing its 100-acre campus, which will accommodate around 8,000 students at full scale in about six years.

“A key differentiator is the emphasis on practical, industry-aligned training. Students of the university will work with Kaveri Seeds and utilise existing facilities like their biotechnology lab and accredited testing lab,” he said.

The university has established a DGCA (Director General of Civil Aviation) approved drone training academy.

Published on June 16, 2025