Research and innovation

As the world reflects on lessons from COVID-19, this development arrives at a critical time. It signals a future where science, powered by AI, stays one step ahead of nature’s unpredictability.

This development comes amid India’s push for energy independence and climate leadership. The country aims to produce 5 million metric tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030.

As climate change intensifies arid conditions in many parts of the world, Chinese scientists have shown that with a little help from the earth’s oldest microbes, humanity can begin to heal degraded landscapes at a pace that matches the urgency of the crisis.

Such collaborations are expected to yield faster development of new interventions, strengthen training pipelines, and create models that other institutions can replicate.

Looking ahead, ICAR-CIFRI is advancing IoT-based real-time water quality monitoring (dissolved oxygen, ammonia, turbidity) and drone/ROV technologies for macrophyte mapping, fish behaviour studies and waterbody assessment.

A groundbreaking new report by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) reveals that the region requires approximately USD 12.065 trillion from 2020 to 2050 to adequately fund climate adaptation and mitigation efforts.

As Kinnaur’s Deodhars stand sentinel, their rings urge action. Reforestation with drought-resilient natives, slope-stabilizing terracing, and AI-driven monitoring could blunt the edge. Community-led early warnings, drawing on local lore, might save lives where tech lags.

Indian agricultural scientists say the new AI-based model needs to be developed further, to provide the most useful data for all those who need it.