This weekly update reveals how artificial intelligence agents are transforming agriculture and food systems worldwide, with breakthrough developments that promise to revolutionize how we grow food.

The biggest announcement came from the World Economic Forum, where Syngenta CEO Jeff Rowe outlined five key ways AI will change farming in 2025. These AI-powered systems represent a major shift from old farming methods to smart, data-driven approaches. The first trend involves using machine learning in research labs to discover new ingredients for plant protection products. The second focuses on AI systems that can monitor and predict soil health, creating detailed maps of nutrients and carbon for farmers.

The third trend puts AI advisors directly in farmers' hands through digital tools that act like expert consultants, helping decide the best ways to manage crops. The fourth trend uses AI for precise pest control, targeting problem areas instead of spraying entire fields. Finally, AI will improve supply chains by predicting demand and reducing waste. The economic impact is huge - the global market for AI in agriculture is expected to grow from $1.7 billion in 2023 to $4.7 billion by 2028.

In Africa, a partnership between ClimateAi from San Francisco and Japan's NEC Corporation created an AI model specifically for climate adaptation in agriculture. This system helps figure out the return on investment for climate-smart farming practices in cocoa and rice production. The AI can simulate what happens when farmers use irrigation systems, plant climate-adapted seeds, or change when they plant crops. This is especially important for Africa, which produces most of the world's cocoa but faces growing climate challenges.

Meanwhile, groundbreaking research in the Philippines used AI to analyze 50 years of rice growing data from the International Rice Research Institute. Scientists from Japan's Gifu University and Kyoto University, along with international partners, used machine learning to understand what makes rice farms successful over decades. They discovered that different growing seasons need different approaches - dry season rice does better with cooler nighttime temperatures, while early wet season crops like warmer early growth periods.

A revolutionary AI system called IDSDS developed by researchers can now detect drought stress in plants using simple smartphone photos. This technology achieved 99% accuracy in identifying seven different levels of drought stress, from healthy plants to severely stressed ones. The system creates visual stress maps showing exactly which parts of plants are struggling, making it easy for farmers to understand and act on the information.

In the United States, University of Florida scientists developed an AI system to help strawberry farmers automatically find and remove unwanted plant runners. Strawberry runners are stems that grow from the main plant and create baby plants, but they take energy away from fruit production. The AI learned to spot these runners even when they were tangled with leaves or growing at odd angles. This could save significant time and money for Florida's $500 million strawberry industry.

The GAIA project represents another major advancement in agricultural AI. Led by the International Food Policy Research Institute with partners around the world, this initiative aims to create AI-powered advisory services for small farmers in developing countries. The project started testing AI chatbots that give farming advice in Kenya and India, and Phase II will expand to include real-time data and predictive analytics.

These developments show how AI agents are becoming essential partners for farmers worldwide. Unlike simple apps or tools, these AI systems can think, analyze complex data, and make recommendations like human experts. They represent a shift toward agentic AI - systems that can act independently to solve farming problems. As climate change makes farming more challenging, these intelligent helpers offer hope for feeding the world's growing population while protecting the environment.