Building AI Foundations: From Farms to Future Economies

25 November 2025. Building AI Foundations: From Farms to Future Economies

Artificial intelligence is advancing at remarkable speed, transforming global economies and everyday life. With its power to unlock knowledge, boost productivity, and open new markets, AI holds immense potential to drive jobs, industries, and economic transformation in developing countries. And in the food sector, AI can help smallholder farmers increase yields and strengthen resilience. 

But turning this potential into reality calls for investments in foundational elements like digital infrastructure, governance, and skills, while developing practical AI applications, including “Small AI”. What should countries prioritize?

• Moderator Catherine Cheney, Senior Editor for Special Coverage at Devex 
• Axel van Trotsenburg Senior Managing Director, The World Bank 
• Sangbu Kim Vice President, Digital, The World Bank Sangbu 
• Christine Zhenwei Qiang Global Director, Digital, The World Bank 
• Shobha Shetty  Global Director, Agriculture and Food, The World Bank
• Shahid Yusuf Chief Economist, The Growth Dialogue, George Washington University 
• Gaurav Nayyar Economic Advisor & Director for World Development Report 2026, The World Bank 
• Ana Maria Loboguerrero, Director, Adaptive & Equitable Food Systems, Gates Foundation

Resource

World Bank (2025) Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Agricultural Transformation 104 pp

The global agrifood system stands at a critical inflection point. Climate shocks, rising input costs, fragile supply chains, and widening inequality are placing unprecedented pressure on food production and distribution. Small-scale producers (SSPs), who produce one-third of the world’s food, are especially vulnerable. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents a timely and powerful tool to help reimagine agricultural transformation in ways that are more productive, sustainable, and inclusive. This report presents a comprehensive and development-oriented analysis of how AI can be responsibly deployed across agrifood systems, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). It moves beyond hype to deliver a grounded roadmap of applications, prerequisites, and investment priorities, while emphasizing ethical, inclusive, and scalable use.

1. Why Artificial Intelligence for Agriculture Sector 

2. Foundational Domains for AI in Agriculture: 

    Conditions, Challenges, and Opportunities 

    Connectivity and Energy Infrastructure: The Physical Backbone                                        

    Data Ecosystems: Fueling AI with Local Intelligence                                                               

    Human Capital and Digital Literacy: Equipping the Frontline                                               

    Governance and Policy: Building a Framework for Trust and Scale                                    

    Public-Private Ecosystems: Scaling Sustainably                                                                     

3. Applications of AI in Agriculture                                                                    

    Crop and Livestock Discovery 

    Advisory and Farm Management                                                                                               

    Inclusive Finance and Risk Mitigation                                                                                       

    Markets, Distribution, and Logistics                                                                                          

    Cross-Cutting Applications                                                                                                         

4. Investment Priorities                                                                                      

    Agriculture-Specific AI Models and Capacity                                                                           

    Foundational Data Investments                                                                                                

    Compute Infrastructure Investments                                                                                      

    Policy and Governance Investments 

    Forward Look: Advancing Agrifood Transformation through Responsible AI 

    Call to action