Digital Transformation Accelerator Stakeholder Consultation Workshop Designing Inclusive and Scalable Digital Advisory Framework for Climate Resilience November 4 - 5, 2025, In-Person Workshop Shalini Gakhar1, Niyati Singaraju1, Jawoo Koo2, Preeti Bharti1, Girija Prasad Patnaik1, Raj Kumar Singh1 1International Rice Research Institute 2International Food Policy Research Institute Facilitated and prepared by: Tjerk van Rooij | 🔗 LinkedIn TABLE OF CONTENTS https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjerk-v-79a42b17 2 Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................................................ 1 Workshop Description ............................................................................................................................................................... 4 Objectives .................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 Expected Outcomes ............................................................................................................................................................... 4 Overview of the Workshop Agenda .................................................................................................................................. 4 Participants ................................................................................................................................................................................ 5 Welcome and Setting the Tone ................................................................................................................................................ 6 Session 1: Mapping Digital Agroadvisories ............................................................................................................................. 6 Objective ................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Description ............................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Results ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 7 Session 2: Reflecting on the Digital Agroadvisories Landscape ........................................................................................ 7 Objective ................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Description ............................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Results ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 7 Session 3: Shared Understanding of Accessibility, Relevance, Usability, and Sustainability for Agroadvisories ..... 8 Objective ................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Description ............................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Results ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 8 Results in Summary ............................................................................................................................................................ 9 Session 4: Identifying the Foundational Principles for Effective and Inclusive Digital Agroadvisory Systems ...... 10 Objective ................................................................................................................................................................................. 10 Description ............................................................................................................................................................................. 10 Results ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Group key insights ............................................................................................................................................................ 11 Session 5 & 6: Defining Strategic Pillars and corresponding actions for effective and inclusive Digital Agroadvisories ............................................................................................................................................................................ 13 Objectives ................................................................................................................................................................................ 13 Description ............................................................................................................................................................................. 13 Results ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Principle 1: Evidence based Model Validation ............................................................................................................. 15 Principle 2: Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) .......................................................................................... 16 Principle 3: Data Infrastructure ..................................................................................................................................... 17 Principle 4: Strategic Partnerships ................................................................................................................................. 18 Principle 5: User Centric Design .................................................................................................................................. 18 Principle 6: Business Model ............................................................................................................................................. 19 Principle 7: Data Governance ........................................................................................................................................ 20 Principle 8: Foundational Pillars ..................................................................................................................................... 21 Digital Agroadvisorie Framework Group reflections and Considerations .......................................................... 21 Annexures .................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Annexure 1- Detailed Agenda ............................................................................................................................................ 22 Annexure 2- Participants list ............................................................................................................................................... 24 Annexure 3 - Detailed Outputs from the Digital Agro-Advisory Mapping Groups .............................................. 26 Group: Private/Technology group ................................................................................................................................. 26 Group: Development + Government group .............................................................................................................. 28 Group: Research/Academia group ................................................................................................................................ 31 Group: CGIAR ................................................................................................................................................................... 33 Annexure 4 ............................................................................................................................................................................. 37 Annexure 5- Gradients of agreement regarding the proposed guiding principles categories ............................. 38 4 WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION The Stakeholder Consultation Workshop on an Inclusive and Scalable Digital Agroadvisory Framework for Climate Resilience, held on November 4 and 5, 2025, in New Delhi, brought together experts and partners from the public, private, research, and development sectors to explore how digital innovation can advance equitable and climate-resilient agriculture. Organized by the CGIAR Digital Transformation Accelerator (DTA) and led by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the two-day event served as a collaborative platform for learning, dialogue, and co-creation focused on the design, delivery, and scaling of inclusive digital advisory services. Throughout the sessions, participants examined the current digital agroadvisory landscape, identified enabling conditions for adoption and scale, and co-developed guiding principles and strategies to ensure that digital tools are accessible and beneficial to all, particularly smallholder farmers, women, and youth. Discussions centered on key themes, including inclusion, digital infrastructure, data governance, partnerships, and scaling frameworks, generating valuable insights and shared perspectives. The workshop’s insights and recommendations form the foundation for a joint action plan that will guide future collaboration and implementation under the DTA framework, strengthening CGIAR’s commitment to advancing sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient food systems through digital transformation. OBJECTIVES I. Defining the core components, principles and mechanisms that ensure digital agro-advisories are accessible, relevant, usable and sustainable (across diverse farming groups, especially women and socially excluded groups). II. Formulating strategies for the design, delivery and adoption, and scaling of inclusive digital agroadvisories. III. Building a (a first iteration) framework for coordinated, scalable, and impactful digital agroadvisories. EXPECTED OUTCOMES ■ A landscape overview of current digital agro-advisories – including gaps, good practices, and opportunities for inclusivity and scale in different sectors. ■ A set of core principles and mechanisms to guide the development and delivery of digital agroadvisories. ■ An action-oriented strategy framework for scaling inclusive agro-advisories (this may include principles for collaborations, data systems, (monitoring, evaluation and learning) MEL indicators, and inclusion parameters. OVERVIEW OF THE WORKSHOP AGENDA This section provides a concise snapshot of the two-day workshop, highlighting the overall structure and major session blocks. 1. Day 1 focused on building a shared understanding of the current digital agroadvisory landscape: Beginning with introductory remarks, followed by collaborative mapping exercises, reflective dialogue, and the development of common concepts and foundational principles for accessibility, relevance, usability, and sustainability. https://www.cgiar.org/cgiar-research-portfolio-2025-2030/digital-transformation https://www.irri.org/who-we-are 2. Day 2 shifted toward framework development: Guiding participants through a structured process of synthesizing principles into strategic pillars, translating these pillars into actionable elements for design, delivery, and adoption, and defining what success looks like moving forward. The full session-by-session agenda, including timings and descriptions, is presented in Annexure 1. PARTICIPANTS The workshop brought together a diverse group of 33 participants representing IRRI and partner organizations, most of which are directly engaged with digital agroadvisory. Attendees included technical specialists, researchers, program staff, and practitioners offering a broad mix of development, private-sector, government, and on-the-ground field perspectives. This diversity enriched the discussions and ensured that multiple viewpoints, including gender and social inclusion considerations, were reflected throughout the sessions. Senior leadership provided an opening context, while participants collaborated actively in group exercises that informed the shared principles, strategic pillars, and priority actions developed over the two days. A full list of participants is provided in Annexure 2. 6 Day 1: Understanding the Digital Agroadvisory Landscape WELCOME AND SETTING THE TONE The workshop began with welcome remarks from Dr. Shalini Gakhar (left), who provided an overview of the Digital Transformation Accelerator, its role in creating an enabling environment, strengthening the AI hub, and enhancing digital tools through AI and machine learning. She also outlined the workshop’s objectives, core components, and the importance of standardized agro-advisory systems supported by strong historical data. This was followed by opening remarks from Dr. Sudhanshu Singh (centre), Director of ISARC, who highlighted the Centre’s regional and global mandate and its relevance to the broader goals of digital agroadvisory development. Dr Jawoo Koo (right) presented the overall outlook for the Digital Transformation Accelerator, highlighting upcoming new initiatives, such as AgriLLM: Agriculture large language models for farmers, policymakers, and researchers. Participants then engaged in a brief introduction activity. Pairing with someone they did not know, they interviewed each other on their name, organization, location, a “superpower” they brought to the workshop, and one expectation. Each participant introduced their partner to the full group, helping establish an open and collaborative tone for the sessions that followed. SESSION 1: MAPPING DIGITAL AGROADVISORIES OBJECTIVE This session aimed to develop a shared understanding of the current digital agro-advisory ecosystem across partner regions and sectors (in India). DESCRIPTION Participants were assigned to breakout groups according to stakeholder type, consolidated into four groups to ensure balanced representation and to facilitate focused discussion: 1. Private and technology sector 2. Research and academia 3. Research and academia 4. CGIAR Through dialogue and reflections, each group documented the types of digital agro-advisories they are working with, areas where they work, target end users, and delivery channels and tools. Participants also shared which phase of the product lifecycle they are mostly involved in and reflected on challenges and successful practices related to making advisories more inclusive. RESULTS The detailed inputs and contributions from each group are presented in Annexure 3, and key findings and reflections from this exercise included are covered in the following session (i.e. Session 2: Reflecting on the Digital Agro-Advisories Landscape) SESSION 2: REFLECTING ON THE DIGITAL AGROADVISORIES LANDSCAPE OBJECTIVE To collectively reflect on the previous mapping exercise, identify gaps, opportunities, commonalities, and implications for the next stages of the workshop. DESCRIPTION Participants reconvened as a full group and visited each of the four workstations during a gallery walk. Each group presented its prioritized advisories and key learnings and insights, followed by a collective reflection in which participants surfaced cross-cutting ideas, insights, and considerations to carry forward into the subsequent sessions on guiding principles and strategic pillars. RESULTS Key reflections and takeaways from this session included: - The need to build and maintain trust through reliable, verified information and clear communication, as conflicting or low-quality advisories continue to undermine confidence among farmers. - Related to this was that relevance and contextualization were also seen as essential, with strong agreement that advisories must be tailored to user needs, language and geography. - Concerns around data quality, validation, and governance were raised across every group, highlighting the importance of improving verification processes and reducing misinformation. - Many groups noted that digital tools alone are insufficient, and that human intermediaries such as extension workers, SHGs, and FPOs remain essential for interpretation, confidence-building, and delivery. - Persistent digital and gender inequalities were frequently mentioned, especially the barriers faced by women and farmers with limited resources. - All groups pointed to opportunities in better-structured partnerships and integrated advisories. AI and ML were recognized for their potential but also their limitations, especially when models are not trained on diverse or low-resolution data. - Finally, across all discussions, groups agreed that farmers need simple, actionable, trustworthy advice rather than complex or conflicting messages. 8 SESSION 3: SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF ACCESSIBILITY, RELEVANCE, USABILITY, AND SUSTAINABILITY FOR AGROADVISORIES OBJECTIVE To create a shared understanding of what accessibility, relevance, usability, and sustainability mean in digital agro- advisories, ensuring a common language across participants. DESCRIPTION In this session, participants worked in four breakout groups to reflect on the meaning of the four core dimensions - accessibility, relevance, usability, and sustainability - within the context of digital agro-advisories. Groups discussed what each dimension represents in their work and how it is understood across different regions and sectors. Responding to the guiding question, “When you think of ‘accessible, relevant, usable, and sustainable,’ what does each term mean in your context?”, each group was tasked to identify up to two short characteristics for each dimension and write them on separate sticky notes. These were posted on the wall and later reviewed collectively to group similar ideas, surface shared themes, and establish a common conceptual foundation for the subsequent session on ‘guiding principles’. RESULTS Table 1 below presents the characteristics identified by each group for the four dimensions. This exercise surfaced how participants interpret these concepts in practice. It was not meant to redefine or decide on final definitions, but to clarify how participants understand these concepts and how others interpret them, creating a shared understanding for subsequent sessions, in which these concepts were further unpacked. TABLE 1. CONSOLIDATED CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FOUR CORE DIMENSIONS - ACCESSIBILITY, RELEVANCE, USABILITY, AND SUSTAINABILITY - WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF DIGITAL AGRO-ADVISORIES Dimension Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Accessibility Availability, Affordability Ease of approval, Getting an entry Availability, Affordability Technology (Device, Connectivity), Digital literacy/capability Relevance Timely access, Contextual actionable Suited to the situation Timely, Contextual Contextualization Usability Understandable, User-centric design Applicability of product to function; Realizing benefits Digital literacy, Comprehension Design, User needs Sustainability Trust, Feedback- based evolution, Adoption Immortal, Inclusivity Institutionalization, Community ownership Viability, Iteration, Sustained partnership ownership RESULTS IN SUMMARY Accessibility: Accessibility was commonly associated with affordability, availability, and the ability to overcome technological barriers. Relevance: Relevance centered on timeliness and contextualization, highlighting the importance of tailoring advisories to local realities to ensure value and adoption. Usability: Usability contributions demonstrated an alignment between groups related to user-centered design, responding to needs and meeting the user where they are at, to ensure real-world use. Sustainability: Although each group phrased it differently, they all pointed to the idea that sustainability requires structures, ownership and relationships that ensure digital agroadvisories continue beyond short-term projects. 10 SESSION 4: IDENTIFYING THE FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES FOR EFFECTIVE AND INCLUSIVE DIGITAL AGROADVISORY SYSTEMS OBJECTIVE Defining the guiding principles and norms participants use to ensure digital agro-advisories are accessible, relevant, usable and sustainable. DESCRIPTION Participants reconvened in their initial stakeholder-based groups to discuss and identify the principles that underpin effective digital agroadvisory systems. Using the definition that in this context a guiding principle is a “fundamental value or rule of thumb that helps steer decisions and actions towards accessible, relevant, usable and sustainable digital agroadvisories”, groups reflected on their own experiences with digital agroadvisories and responded to the question about what principles or norms should guide how we design and deliver digital agroadvisories so they truly work for everyone? (In terms of accessibility, relevance, usability and sustainability.) Each group discussed and identified guiding principles using unique color-coded sticky notes to capture their key principles. Groups then shared their ideas in plenary, after which all notes were placed on a wall to create a combined visual overview. The inputs were clustered into broader categories to reveal common themes, which were collectively reviewed and reflected upon by the full group. RESULTS Participants were subsequently asked to prioritize the categories created, resulting in seven main principles identified by group consensus. In addition to the seven main principles, the group identified an eighth principle that is cross-cutting. Unlike the other principles, this principle consolidates actions and norms that apply to all other principles and was initially named the ‘foundational pillars’. In this sense, this cross-cutting principle serves as a backbone or enabling foundation for the entire framework, guiding how all other principles should operate. The eight main guiding principles to ensure digital agro-advisories are accessible, relevant, usable and sustainable: 1. Evidence-based model validation 2. Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning 3. Data infrastructure 4. Strategic partnerships 5. User-centric design 6. Business model 7. Data governance 8. Foundational Pillars (cross-cutting principle) Annexure 4 presents these seven overarching categories, along with the initial principles contributed by each group that fall within them, serving as the sub-categories that informed their development. Annexure 5 illustrates the degree of participant agreement for each of the prioritized principles. While a few participants were not fully convinced about every principle, the majority expressed a high degree of support and, arguably most important, no one opposed them. This indicated broad consensus within the group and agreement to proceed with these seven principles and unpack them during the sessions on Day 2. GROUP KEY INSIGHTS During a final plenary guided dialogue, participants reflected on the agreed guiding principles and shared several takeaways and insights: • Digital agroadvisories are often designed without sufficient direct engagement with farmers, underscoring the need for genuinely farmer-centric systems. • User-centric design and viable business models must be intentionally integrated rather than treated as separate or incidental components. • Many principles are interdependent, and their overlap reflects the interconnected nature of effective advisory systems. • Designing an effective system requires a clear vision from the outset, including awareness of trade-offs and decisions about what can or cannot be compromised. • Limited funding requires strategic prioritization, particularly between data acquisition and system development. • Satellite data availability presents both opportunities and challenges for strengthening advisories. 12 Day 2: Building a Digital Agroadvisory Framework SESSION 5 & 6: DEFINING STRATEGIC PILLARS AND CORRESPONDING ACTIONS FOR EFFECTIVE AND INCLUSIVE DIGITAL AGROADVISORIES Day 2 sessions were strongly interconnected, with each session’s output serving as building blocks toward the main outcome of the day: the development of a first-iteration digital agroadvisory framework. Therefore, in this report, the individual sessions have been consolidated into a single integrated section. OBJECTIVES Two closely interdependent objectives: 1. Translating the guiding principles identified on Day 1 into concrete strategies for the design, delivery, adoption, and scaling of inclusive digital agroadvisories. 2. Using these strategies as foundational pillars for developing a first-iteration framework for coordinated, scalable, and impactful digital agroadvisories. DESCRIPTION Participants were reorganized into four new groups, each intentionally composed to include all stakeholder types, ensuring diverse perspectives in the development of the strategies and the overall digital agroadvisories framework. Figure 1 shows a preliminary, illustrative version of what the framework could eventually look like. During the workshop, this strawman was used mainly as a thinking aid or blueprint to help participants conceptualize their strategies and to guide their discussions, not as a final or endorsed framework. FIGURE 1. DIGITAL AGROADVISORIES STRAWMAN FRAMEWORK, USED AS A THINKING AID DURING THE WORKSHOP. Each group was assigned one or two of the guiding principles identified on Day 1. For these assigned principles, groups were first asked to translate each principle into a more specific, action-oriented strategic title and to 14 define the ultimate high-level outcome that the strategic pillar aims to achieve, clarifying how it contributes to the overarching vision of creating and implementing Inclusive and Effective Digital Agroadvisories. After establishing these ultimate outcomes, groups identified the key actions, stakeholders, and enabling conditions (i.e., assumptions) required to achieve the outcomes and operationalize each strategic pillar. Groups documented their contributions using a standardized template to organize the information from left to right, beginning with the strategic pillar title, followed by the actions, associated stakeholders, enabling conditions (i.e., assumptions), and finally the pillar outcomes (see the results section). The standardized template was designed to support the post-workshop process, enabling the team to consolidate all group contributions for each strategy into the next iteration of the envisioned digital agroadvisories framework. RESULTS The results below are presented in a series of tables, one for each prioritized principle, summarizing the strategic titles, ultimate outcomes, key actions, stakeholders, and enabling conditions identified by the groups. PRINCIPLE 1: EVIDENCE-BASED MODEL VALIDATION Specific and action-oriented strategic title: No specific action-oriented strategic title was identified. Action Key stakeholders Enabling Conditions / Assumptions Outcome Data curation/ collection from multiple sources Primary Implementing Agencies Public Sector (ICAR, Secondary data available and accessible/affordable 16 IMD, FAO, ITCC, SAUs) 1) All data used to design the advisory is available 2) Agro-advisory is not socially biased Ground Truthing of data Extension Workers Existing expertise and availability of skilled workforce Benchmarking guidelines for social biases World Bank, UNESCO, FAO, CGIAR Socio-legal, cultural, socio-technical guidelines as a reference are available Alignment to FAIR data principles to make data AI Ready (CGIAR digital strategy), TECH TEAM Data Standardization available and intention to Co-align Performance evaluation of the model Eg: Hugging Face social auditing Defining the validation procedures and guidelines Experts' willingness to share the knowledge PRINCIPLE 2: MONITORING, EVALUATION AND LEARNING (MEL) Specific and action-oriented strategic title: (Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning) Action Key stakeholders Enabling Conditions / Assumptions Outcome Identification of indicators Farmers, Self Help Groups & Cooperatives, NGO, Research and Academia, Government, Private Sector, Donor / Investor, Financial Institutions Budget Robust data-driven Data collection & analysis Extension, Government agencies, etc. Reliable data adaptive learning systems that ensure effective advisories & improved end-users' trust & adoption FPCs, Academia, private organizations Skilled resources Integration of feedback loop (product development & refining) Startups, CGIAR institutes, and technical partners Time, Infrastructure PRINCIPLE 3: DATA INFRASTRUCTURE Specific and action-oriented strategic title: No specific action-oriented strategic title was identified. Action Key stakeholders Enabling Conditions / Assumptions Outcome Defining the storage/processing needs Primary Implementing Agency Availability of organizational resources 1. Seamless delivery of agro-advisory in low connectivity zones 2. Interoperability architecture Procurement of components for the digital core Tech-Infra Providers (Amazon Web Services / Google Cloud Services etc.) Potential partnerships exist Undertake the technical audit 3rd-party auditors Unbiased review and evaluation Auditors understand the context (Relevant experience) Iterative data security measures are undertaken Primary Implementing Agency State of the art knowledge of security measures Elaborative Tech transfer guidelines and documentation development Implementing Agency + Owner of Services (Eg. There is a capacity for ownership There is a demand 18 Public Sector) PRINCIPLE 4: STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS Specific and action-oriented strategic title: Collaboration Action Key stakeholders Enabling Conditions / Assumptions Outcome Stakeholders' identification Farmer Common mandate Strong network of collaborative partners to support the design, delivery and adoption of effective agro-advisories Stakeholder mapping on a power interest matrix Academia Common operational geographies Defining role and responsibility Government Diverse expertise Roadmap for collaborations Farmer producer's organization (FPOs) Trust and transparency Self-help group Effective communication Industries, Donors Accountability Policy support PRINCIPLE 5: USER CENTRIC DESIGN Specific and action-oriented strategic title: Responding to dynamic and diverse needs/problems of the user. Action Key stakeholders Enabling Conditions / Assumptions Outcome Identification of target segment & User needs (needs study Product Developers, Researchers, Extension Tech, Extension workers -High penetration of mobile phones - Availability of Internet - Digitally connected means to access information Target users and their community realize benefits through enabled/increased adoption of recognized inclusive & trusted sources of advisory. Assessing the situation/context through research / problem analysis Researchers, Local Extension workers, Community Leaders, Farmers, Public & Private Sector - Two-way communication - Establishing Trust - Responsive Dialogue - Timely & Relevant - Capacity builds Co-design the product Mutual respect is in place & shared interest / goals - High level of understanding of language among key actors - Users willingness to co- design - Funding to organize supports Testing and Pilot (Rapid incorporate feedback loop) Funding availabilities -End user interest -Built and sustained through participatory participation PRINCIPLE 6: BUSINESS MODEL Specific and action-oriented strategic title: Develop/Build financially viable and impact-driven digital agro-advisory Action Key stakeholders Enabling Conditions / Assumptions Outcome 20 Landscape Mapping: • What's happening? • Stakeholders • What works / What doesn't? Revenue models? Tech Developers, Donors, Govt., Private, Acc. Investors, Academia, CSOs Business organizations share information and learnings 1) Consistent, Scalable, Inclusive Agro-Advisories 2) Strengthened Partnerships & Co- investments mechanisms of Public Pvt and other parties 3) Greater efficiency with less waste, not compromising on either ethics or other principles Testing Models and Share Learnings Fund to synthesize evidence / learnings Documenting Evidence & Learning Scope for Alignment Leverage: Existing Resources and Data Shared Interest Collaborate / Partnership: Govt as Partner, PPPs / Institution of Innovations Sufficient knowledge on legal, ethics in the organization Regulatory Requirements: Define, Legal Provision, User Agency PRINCIPLE 7: DATA GOVERNANCE Specific and action-oriented strategic title: Strengthening inclusivity through strategic data governance Action Key stakeholders Enabling Conditions / Assumptions Outcome Establish data ethics guidelines Policymakers, Regulators, Ethics Committee members, Institutions & Civil Society Resource persons, institutions, understanding of data laws and policies Governance Frameworks ensure establishment of data integrity & quality through ethical data handling & protection leading to reduced risks and increased Trust and Compliance. Establish a Compliance Monitoring System Developers, extension agents, Consumers / data users / Media, Legal experts, Funding Agencies Authority is empowered to ensuring Compliance Public Awareness Utility of trusted channels -Messaging is properly developed & disseminated to minimize misinformation / misunderstanding -Language options are considered and made available PRINCIPLE 8: FOUNDATIONAL PILLARS Specific and action-oriented strategic title: Strengthening Foundational Inclusion for Digital Access & Adoption Action Key stakeholders Enabling Conditions / Assumptions Outcomes Incentives / Mandate for Inclusion- Identifying and formulating Farmers, FPOs, SHGs, Local Admn., Implementing Partners (Tech Pvts, Academia), Govt, CSOs, NGOs Intentional about inclusion Improved adoption of digital agro advisories by diverse groups Empowerment of women, youth, socially excluded and diverse groups by enabling access to & use of information and advisories Build Capacities of farmers, make them aware: Data, Ethics, Application Local Resources [Alignment with community + Local admin] Making the process participatory: Feedback, Needs, Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) Motivation (Openness to Change) Collect, Analyse Data: Different Sources, Diverse Sample, Incentivise Collaborate (Shared Resources) Resource Fund and Time Frequency, Robust availability of data DIGITAL AGROADVISORIE FRAMEWORK GROUP REFLECTIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS During the group presentations and the discussions, several recurring considerations emerged for developing an effective and inclusive digital agroadvisory framework. - The principles are interconnected and overlap that means that progress in one area depends on progress in others. - Related to this: Although the outcomes are presented here as specific to a single strategic pillar/principle, the group recognized that, as the principles are interconnected and overlapping; in practice, each principle will contribute to all the outcomes to some extent. - Another central theme was the need for genuine user-centricity. Participants noted that many advisory systems are still developed without sufficient engagement with farmers, resulting in limited adoption. Groups stressed the importance of ongoing farmer participation, localized content, diverse delivery formats, and mechanisms for two-way communication. Commented [Tv1]: Shalini, Niyati, please revise and add any additional consideration/takeaway you may have had 22 - Closely linked to this is the commitment to intentional inclusion, ensuring that women, youth, and socially marginalized groups benefit equally from digital tools. Inclusion must be embedded through clear mandates, capacity building, and participatory design processes, not treated as an add-on. - Learning and adaptation are ongoing; feedback loops, MEL, and regular model updates help improve the system over time. - Also related to this is that business models must be realistic and farmer-focused, and that long-term sustainability depends on affordability, clear value, and institutional commitment. - Many institutions still need stronger skills, resources, and digital literacy to deliver high-quality advisories. - Data quality and governance matter: accuracy, fairness, privacy, and interoperability are essential foundations. - Partnerships need clear roles and alignment, and effective collaboration is key for scaling and coordination across the board. ANNEXURES ANNEXURE 1- DETAILED AGENDA Day 1: Understanding the Digital Agroadvisory Landscape Tuesday, November 4, 2025 TIME Session title and Objectives 8:30 - 9:00 am (30 min) Informal Networking and Registration Reconnect with colleagues over coffee and register for the workshop 9:00 - 10:00 am (60 min) Welcome and Setting the Tone for the Workshop 1. Welcome – Dr Shalini Gakhar, Data Scientist- Interoperability and Data Science Life Cycle, Centre Lead - CGIAR Digital Transformation Accelerator, IRRI 2. Opening remarks – Dr Sudhanshu Singh, Director, International Rice Research Institute South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC), India 3. Get to know colleagues. 4. Overview of workshop objectives, agenda, and participant expectations. 10:00 - 11:00 am (60 min) Mapping Digital Agroadvisories Develop a shared understanding of the current digital agroadvisory landscape across partners through group discussions, identifying the main types of advisories used, their target users, delivery mechanisms and ‘inclusivity’ considerations. 11:15 - 11:35 am (20 min) Health Break ● Refreshments & networking ● Group Photo 11:35 - 12:30 pm (55 min) Reflecting on the Digital Agroadvisories Landscape Building on the mapped agroadvisories, participants engage in an open dialogue to surface key insights and takeaways, including gaps, opportunities, and common patterns across current digital agro-advisories. 12:30 - 12:45 pm (15 min) CGIAR Research for Development Accelerator on Digital Transformation This presentation by Dr Jawoo Koo (Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI and the Interim Deputy Director DTA), introduces the CGIAR Digital Transformation Accelerator, highlighting its purpose, approach, and contribution to the global vision for inclusive and scalable digital agroadvisories. 12:45 - 2:00 pm (75 min) Lunch 2:00 - 2:45 pm (45 min) Shared Understanding of Accessibility, Relevance, Usability, and Sustainability for Agroadvisories Creating a shared understanding of what accessibility, relevance, usability, and sustainability mean in digital agro- advisories, ensuring a common language before moving into design. 2:45 - 3:45 pm (60 min) Identifying the Foundational Principles for Effective and Inclusive Digital Agroadvisory Systems Identify the core principles and norms that make digital agroadvisories across dimensions (1) accessible, (2) relevant, (3) usable and (4) sustainable, with a special focus on women and socially excluded groups. 3:45 - 4:00 pm (15 min) Health Break ● Refreshments & networking 4:00 - 4:45 pm (45 min) Identifying the Foundational Principles for Effective and Inclusive Digital Agroadvisory Systems- Continued Identify the core principles and norms that make digital agroadvisories across dimensions (1) accessible, (2) relevant, (3) usable and (4) sustainable, with a special focus on women and socially excluded groups. 4:45 - 5:00 pm (15 min) Health Break ● Refreshments & networking 7pm Dinner Day 2: Building a Digital Agroadvisory Framework Wednesday, November 5, 2025 TIME Session title and Objectives 8:30 - 9:00 am (30 min) Informal Networking and Registration Reconnect with colleagues and register for the workshop 24 9:00 - 9:30 am (30 min) Warm-Up and Agenda Overview Recap Day 1 highlights and introduces Day 2 objectives: formulating strategies and developing a first- iteration framework for coordinated, scalable, and inclusive digital agroadvisories. 9:30 - 11:00 am (110 min) Synthesizing Principles into Strategic Pillars for Effective and Inclusive Digital Agroadvisories Building on the principles identified earlier, participants collaborate to cluster and prioritize them into a set of strategic pillars that will form the foundation of the digital agroadvisory framework for effective and inclusive design, delivery, and adoption. 11:00 - 11:30 am (30 min) Health Break ● Refreshments & networking 11:30- 1:00 pm (90 min) Translating Pillars into Action for the design, delivery and adoption of the Digital Agroadvisories Participants define key actions and enabling conditions needed to operationalize each pillar across the design and delivery, (and adoption?) phases of the digital agroadvisory framework. The exercise helps translate strategic intent into actionable next steps for framework development and implementation. 1:00 - 2:15 pm (75 min) Lunch 2:15 - 3:15 pm (60 min) What does success look like for Strategic pillars and how do they contribute to outcomes Discussion to reflect on the prioritized strategic pillars and define what success looks like for each. Participants will articulate how these pillars collectively contribute to achieving the expected outcomes. 3:15 - 3:30 pm (15 min) Health Break ● Refreshments & networking 3:30 - 4:00 pm (30 min) What does success look like for Strategic pillars and how do they contribute to outcomes - Continued Discussion to reflect on the prioritized strategic pillars and define what success looks like for each. Participants will articulate how these pillars collectively contribute to achieving the expected outcomes. 4:00 - 4:30 pm (30 min) Closing: Bringing it All Together ● Closing remarks, key takeaways, and possible next steps, ANNEXURE 2- PARTICIPANTS LIST NAME INSTITUTION SEX 1 Niriksha/ Jagannath R PxD Female 2 Grishma Joshi SatSure Female 3 Karan Raut Plantix Male 4 Kalika Bali Microsoft Female 5 Shilpi Singh Jagriti Enterprise Centre Female 6 Gunjan Kohli Oorja Development Solutions Female 7 Morup Namgail DCM Shriram Male 8 Sapna Jarial Lovely Professional University Female 9 Sonmani Choudhary Passing Gift Female 10 Namita Singh Digital Green Female 11 Subodh Kumar Jaljeevika Male 12 Kanika ILRI Female 13 Jawoo Koo IFPRI Male 14 Bhuvana N CRISP consultant with CIMMYT Female 15 Nozomi Kawarazuka CIP Male 16 Drishti Kumar World Economic Forum Female 17 Prakashan Chellattan Veettil IRRI Male 18 Josh Woodard IRRI Male 19 Navneet Goyal BITS PILANI Female 20 Dr. Sangeeta Mendiratta Bayer Female 21 Ramneek Kaur IIT Delhi Female 22 Tjerk Facilitator Male 23 Benedict Jardinero IRRI-HQ Male 24 Shalini Gakhar IRRI-Delhi Female 25 Niyati Singaraju IRRI-Delhi Female 26 Preeti Bharti IRRI-Odisha Female 27 Girija Prasad Patnaik IRRI-Odisha Male 28 Gyandip Pandia IRRI-Odisha Male 29 Raj Kumar Singh IRRI-Delhi Male 30 Ipsita Kar Odisha University of Agril. and Technology Female 32 Sameer Mohapatro Centurion University of Technology and Management Male 33 Ruby Pathania Wadhwani AI Female 26 ANNEXURE 3 - DETAILED OUTPUTS FROM THE DIGITAL AGRO-ADVISORY MAPPING GROUPS GROUP: PRIVATE/TECHNOLOGY GROUP Agroadvisory Target audience (users) Deliver y tools and/or channel s Geogra phy Phase of the product lifecycle Inclusive considerations (what have you learned so far) What worked Not worked Opportu nities Nutrient management + deficiencies Water/irrigation Weed management UAV based advisory/recom mendation Agriculture and livestock practice (general, pest/disease, planning) Target yield estimation and recommendatio n Climate change advisory Govt. Agri LLM Agromet Smal holder farmers Self-help groups Nongovern mental organizatio n Extension staff Farmer producer organizatio ns Extension service providers State Agri. Universities Blynk IoT with AWD cloud, (Amazo n web services ) (Intern et of Things) Decisio n support system for Agro- Advisor y Techno logy Mobile applicat ion AI- based chatbot (multim oda, multilin gual) PAN India (2x) Odisha (3x) West Bengal Andhra Pradesh (2x) UP (2x) Bihar (2x) Karnata ka Mahara shtra Jharkha nd Kerala Tamil Nadu Implementa tion (2x) Delivery Design (3x) Adoption (3x) Design testing Institutional ization Product managemen t Adoption/S caling Preventiv e and curative measures Skill developm ent Adoption s and app based advisory Farmers empower ment Feedback and learning User centric designs Target language Refreshe r training Monitori ng Economic threshold level Weed managem ent Indigenou s farming practices Technolo gy reach to farmers Active ingredien ts Budget Data Standardi zation Maintaini ng focus on impact Gender norms and roles Digitiza tion of farming practice s Quality data collecti on and annotati on Quick POCs on digital advisori es with govern ment Agricult ural specific large languag e models (LLMs) Digital MRVs (Monito advisories AMA Krushi (IVR advisor y system) Doing the grant work with bureacra cy Rigorous testing Inclusion lens (the early stage- who, how many, cocreatio n, early feedback) Inclusion- specific metrics, data collection and analysis Sustainab le product design Timely developm ent of digital tools Exhaustiv e data acquisitio n from field Limited mobile access Tech itself- challenge of low resource language Inclusive data Actional advisory ring, reporti ng and verificat ion) platfor m Integrat ion Market price + input markets Weathe r predicti on, warning s Pest and disease identific ation and manage ment advisori es 28 GROUP: DEVELOPMENT + GOVERNMENT GROUP Agroadvis ory Target audience (users) Delivery tools and/or channels Geogra phy Phase of product lifcycle Inclusivity considerations (what have you learned so far) What worked (rose) Not worked (thorn) Opportuni ties (bud) Soil testing instrumen ts used by women entrepren eurs to take care of soil health Farmers (Small and large holding), FPOs, organizatio ns Field outreach Through Horti. Dept/KVKs Social media/influen cers Maharas tra Coast, KOSI- Ganga Basin Bundelk hand- Telanga na (Drylan d) Vidarbh a Wetlan d areas Adoption -Trying to aware farmers to adopt the soil testing service and understa nd their soil health Access to land parcel boundar y, IoT and Drone data and satellite data, field data, Access to ground data during natural calamity, crop residue burned area Gen AI Better benchma rking And Evaluatio n framewo rks Convinci ng farmer for the benefit of soil Coming to a profitabl e scalable soil testing model Digital Agro- advisory Farmers (Women farmers/ent erprises) IVR, ChatBot, WhatsApp Madhya Pradesh (Centra l India) Design/Pl anning, Research and product developm ent, Data sharing Historic data, engage ment of field staff, evaluati on survey Women entreprene urs open adoption of technology for farming Digital capacity training Engage of youth both men and women Site specific nutrient manageme nt Agro- advisory implementi ng organizatio n WebGIS application/D ashboard, mobile application, mobile alerts Eastern Uttar Pradesh Ideation, Develop ment, Design, Impleme ntation, Feedback Content localizat ion with language Lack of Regular feedback loop Lack of Inclusive Engage more collage graduate s for awarenes s of local , and revision design feature farmers on soil farmers on soil health and why its needed Digital agro- advisory- Soil health, harvest review, adoption, practice of retention Farmers, State Govt Dept. (Agri/ Revenue), Insurance companies Field visits, Odisha Strategic advisory across all phases Think about sustaina bility from the offset Data fragmentati on High resolutio n satellite data a low-cost, large- scale data at land parcel level (IoT, drone, nutrient, crop residue burning, LLM models Land parcel level advisorie s: crop managem ent 30 Farmer field school Lead farmer Dashboard data by organizatio n MELR for evaluation and impact Field classrooms Bihar (6 north Bihar districts ) Research Multimo dal design, Underst and intersec tional pillars Correct data entry Data visualization Reporting of failures/was tages/loss timely usage of info by community weather forecasts Landscap ing and approach and tools Image based AI Correct weather- related insight Generati ng evidence- weather changing, patterns Drone, Satellite data, IoT, Climate, Soil Moistur e, crop mapping , yield estimati on, crop residue burned mapping Small and marginal farmers, Fishery community Matsya Mitra, Aquatalk- Online session for producers and participants of value chains India Design Delivery Commu nity underst anding of data, Organiz ation onboard ing Slow adoption rate Include agricultur e, Image based AI, Govt schemes, Smallcou rses. Advertis ement platform, darmer user data Image based disease detection in goats Expanding parametri Field staff, Extension staffs Community facilitator Smart phone- based application KVK India Evaluatio n Advisor y for technica l problem Multiling ual respons Content addition and improveme nt is required Admin block and climate data and predictio n c insurance e problem s, Audio based input and respons e Informa tion and knowled ge, Dissemi nation Advisor y Extension agents Lead farmer, Community leader/farmer , extension agents India Design Outreac h in any part of country Specialised queries need experts to respond on time Benchma rking Digital literacy training, Module context ualism for farm related informa tion India Field level data clarity Bud stage Commu nity underst anding of data AI cannot satisfy farmers all time, Low adoption GROUP: RESEARCH/ACADEMIA GROUP Agroadvis ory Target audienc e (users) Deliver y tools and/or channel s Geograph y Phase of produc t lifecycl e Inclusivity considerations (what have you learned so far) What worked Not worked Opportun ities Crop based advisory Smallhol ders Whats App Groups Eastern Gangetic plains (India, Banglades h and Design Deliver y Genera tion and 9% reduction in pesticide use Hallucinat ions in LLMs Multiling ual and multimo dal advisori es 32 Nepal) Evaluati on AI based advisory 7000 smallhol der farmers (35% women farmer) Farmers awaren ess progra mme Telangana Chilli Value Chain Network with experts Small data, not accurate for ML predictio n Right- time advisori es Persona lized advisori es LLM predicting agri- entrepren eurial traits Agri- students Whats App tool QR codes, Survey Phagwara Punjab Research+Extensio n+Dealers Disconne ct between expert and other sources a of informati on Awaren ess on digital advisory use through trusted channel s (self- help groups) AI based sowing and harvesting time soil health manageme nt Small and marginal farmers, Agricult ural, Planning Voice messag e (IVR) PAN INDIA Reduced weeds Depende d on human honesty Accurat ely predict human traits Agro- meteorolo gical advisories Farmers m-Kisan portal (SMS) Agroecol ogical zones of Odisha Timely application of fertilizers Misinform ation Engaging public extensi on Input dealers Mental health bot for students and faculty Agri- Students Online chatbot Phagwara Punjab Learning Intension to use Accessibil ity of solution recomme nded Student perceptio n adoption on LLM use Student in Agricult ure Survey QR- Code Whats App Phagwara Punjab Learning Intension to use Meghdoot App Damini App Commu nity videos for awaren ess (Digital green) Commu nity resourc e persons hired by govt Site selection for NRM Interventi ons Mobile applicati on Watershe d planning GROUP: CGIAR Agroadvi sory Target audience (users) Delivery tools and/or channels Geogra phy Phase of product lifecycle Inclusivity considerations (what have you learned so far) What worked Not worked Opportuni ties 34 Mission monsoo n III Farmers Extension workers AI used for advisory Nation al India Planning Continuo us increase in number of farmers/ users Reaching to 780 districts (target) Using AI for advisory creation Capture adoption Meghdo ot Farmer collective (Farmer producer organizations/co mpanies, Self- help group Government Mobile apps (Multilin gual personal ized weather and crop advisory , push message , Nation al India 670 district s out of 780 Final phase (transferring ownership to IMD Institutionali zation Increase in number of users Tenants not included in delivery Difficult to scale paid, advisories One way communic ation Bundling of services Sukha Rakshak AI (Drough t continge ncy AI based advisory) Agril. Officers, Krushi Vigyan Kendras, National disaster management authority Website and Android apps India Design and conception, Developmen t and data generation Adoptions and uptake Consolid ates informati on from multiple source Simplified to complex informati on dependin g on user Multi- language support works Gender gaps Less access among rural farming communit ies Plant village (Pests and disease diagnosti cs) Farmers collectives Applicati on Global (India the largest for plantix Delivery adoptions Simplified to complex informati on dependin g on user Gender gaps Less access among rural farming communit ies Human interfere nce at initial stage Revenue models for Farmer Producer Organiza tions Tumaini (Banana pest and disease diagnosti cs) Multiple advisories from multiple channels SIMCAS T (Potato late blight disease decision support tool) Doordri sti Dynag (Mushro om) Kisan Saathi (crop rice wheat) Private sector Extension agents Through extensio n NGOs, Manual cars, digital cards Mobile and web- based apps SMS IVR (Interact ive voice respons e) Andes (Peru and Ecuado r) Bihar India Delivery and adoption (Andes) Pilots Significan t reductio n in fungicide use Gender gasps Digital verison easier than manual Tenants not included in delivery One way communic ation 36 AGDAT E (livestoc k Rice crop manager Farmer Extesnion agenst Governemnt Whatsa pp based chatbot Odisha Design Scaling Significan t reductio n in fungicide use Increase number of Mobile users, Digital penetratio n Chatbot based advisory ANNEXURE 4 Name of Proposed Category 1. User Centric Design 2.Data Governan ce 3.Eviden ce Based Model Validatio n 4.Monitori ng Evaluation Learning 5.Business Model 6.Strategic Partnershi ps 7.Data Infrastructu re • User centric design incorporat es interactivit y, inclusivity, and internal ownership Farmer Centric Approach • User Centric Design • User Centric Demand Driven • Co- design Approach • Multi Stakeholde r Co- designing Approach • Establish clear data governance structures and ethical reporting... • Ethical & Responsible Use of Data • Data Driven Scientific Advisory (Real- time/Neede d) • Data Privacy Ethical Guidelines (Trust, Safety) Minimise Data Bias •Correcti ng biases of input in the pre- trained models • Social biases can be minimised • Test all hypothesis • Identifying drivers & learning systems (what is the traction process & mechanism) • Robust Evaluation Framework • Ensure continuous learning via feedback loops • Feedback loop for continuous learning • Having clear indicators of reach and trackability • Cost Effective Durable Model • Leverage (Low cost, Scalability, Sustainabilit y) • Effective Collaboratio n • Sustained Partnerships (Mutual trust, Shared goals) Secured Infrastructure 38 • Timely adoption of Agroadvisor y ANNEXURE 5- GRADIENTS OF AGREEMENT REGARDING THE PROPOSED GUIDING PRINCIPLES CATEGORIES Category Strongly Agree Agree Neither Agree nor Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree 1. Evidence based model validation 10 3 2 - No one and no comments 2. Monitoring Evaluation and Learning 13 3 - - No one and no comments 3. Data infrastructure 5 6 3 - No one and no comments 4. Strategic partnerships 5 9 2 - No one and no comments 5. User centric design 11 2 1 - No one and no comments 6. Business model 6 3 4 - No one and no comments 7. Data governance 16 2 2 - No one and no comments