The U.S. National Science Foundation, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, and Australia's CSIRO have launched the AI-ENGAGE Initiative to enhance agricultural innovation.
This collaboration was announced during the Quad Leaders Summit on September 21 in Wilmington, Delaware. The initiative aims to foster research partnerships among the Quad countries—U.S., Japan, India, and Australia—to address food security and resource management in the Indo-Pacific region.
NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan emphasized the initiative's potential to develop new technologies and solutions for farmers globally. The project envisions tools such as apps utilizing sensors and AI to provide real-time agricultural insights.
With the global population expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, the initiative seeks to tackle increasing food demands and resource pressures. Researchers from the Quad countries are encouraged to submit joint proposals, with priority given to those involving all four nations.
A webinar for interested researchers will be held on October 9, providing further details on the proposal process.