The ACRAT Initiative (Accelerating Climate-Resilient Agriculture in Telangana) is a multi stakeholder collaboration funded by the Federal Minister of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMELH), Germany. It is implemented by a consortium of partners including Fraunhofer HHI, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU), AgHub (its agri-innovation and incubation center), as well as local startups and farmer producer organizations (FPOs) in Telangana, India. The project integrates artificial intelligence (AI), remote sensing, Internet of Things (IoT), and interoperable digital platforms to help smallholder farmers manage climate risks, optimize input use, and improve livelihoods through timely, data-driven decision-making. It represents the first operational use case globally to be developed and validated directly within farmers’ fields using a standards-based platform architecture approved by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). This digital infrastructure addresses critical challenges such as data fragmentation, interoperability, and inclusive access, setting a global reference for scalable, farmer-centric digital agriculture systems. 

What to Expect from the Session
This session will present key insights from the ACRAT initiative, highlighting its technological breakthroughs, on-ground impact, and policy relevance. It will reflect on implementation challenges, share lessons learned, and outline pathways for scaling and replication. The session will also explore collaboration opportunities with research institutions, startups, and government bodies, focusing on co-creating climate-smart, data-driven 
farming systems. Attendees can engage with India’s agri-innovation ecosystem, including leading universities, startups, FPOs, and policymakers.