WEF’s Report Shaping The Deep-Tech Revolution In Agriculture

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has released a landmark insights report titled ““Shaping the Deep-Tech Revolution in Agriculture,”” outlining seven key technological domains expected to reshape global farming systems. Developed in collaboration with academic and industry partners, the report emphasises how deep-tech convergence can enhance agricultural productivity, resilience, and sustainability worldwide.

Seven Deep-Tech Domains for Agricultural Transformation

The WEF report identifies seven technologies poised to drive future agricultural progress: generative artificial intelligence, computer vision, robotics, edge Internet of Things (IoT), satellite-enabled remote sensing, CRISPR gene editing, and nanotechnology. These domains, when combined, could fundamentally transform how crops are cultivated, monitored, and distributed. By integrating deep-tech solutions, the agricultural sector can achieve higher yields, better climate resilience, and more transparent carbon accounting.

High-Impact Use Cases and Global Examples

The report showcases examples of deep-tech in action—ranging from autonomous swarm robotics and precision farm management to agentic AI systems and real-time carbon reporting. Demonstrated use cases include climate-resilient rice varieties that reduce emissions by 20 per cent, precision agriculture techniques that boosted sugarcane yields by 40 per cent, and remote sensing models that forecast supply chain disruptions. These examples illustrate how converging deep technologies can address climate and productivity challenges simultaneously.

Collaboration and Policy Imperatives

The WEF calls for stronger collaboration among industry, academia, investors, and policymakers to scale deep-tech innovations. It urges governments to adopt agile regulations and experimental policy sandboxes to support rapid technological progress. The report stresses the importance of cross-learning and multidisciplinary research to mitigate early-stage risks, attract capital, and promote inclusive innovation across developing and developed economies alike.

Exam Oriented Facts

• The WEF report identifies seven core deep-tech domains for agriculture: AI, computer vision, robotics, IoT, remote sensing, CRISPR, and nanotechnology.
• Key use cases include autonomous swarm robotics, precision management, and carbon reporting.
• Climate-resilient rice and precision sugarcane farming are cited as success stories.
• The report is part of WEF’s Artificial Intelligence for Agriculture Initiative (AI4AI), launched in 2021.

Building a Deep-Tech Ecosystem for the Future

Jeremy Jurgens, Managing Director at the WEF’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, highlighted that deep-tech transformation requires “ecosystems connecting science, industry, finance, and policy.” Abhay Pareek, Project Lead for Agriculture, added that deep-tech applications—such as AI crop intelligence in India and robotics in Europe—demonstrate the technology’s global reach. Through the AI4AI initiative, the WEF aims to expand India’s deep-tech agriculture ecosystem, fostering collaboration and innovation that could redefine global food systems for the decades ahead.