Digital Farming Assistant: AI to the Rescue of Crops
Russian farmers are now able to quickly and effectively identify the best crop protection solutions thanks to a new AI-powered platform called 'Svoe Fermerstvo'. This digital innovation is designed to help growers select the most efficient treatments for safeguarding their harvests.
A Massive Database at Farmers’ Fingertips
On July 4, 2025, Rosselkhozbank launched a new digital service on the Svoe Fermerstvo platform aimed at optimizing crop protection. The platform provides access to Russia’s largest repository of registered crop protection products, totaling over 43,000 entries. Each product includes a detailed profile covering application rates, growth stages, recommended crops, treatment windows, and usage specifics. This level of detail ensures that farmers receive accurate, validated information to guide their decisions.
The selection of products is powered by artificial intelligence, which takes into account three primary criteria: crop type, nature of the threat (weed, disease, or pest), and economic viability. The result is a curated list of the most suitable protection options tailored to agronomic needs and cost efficiency.
Data-Driven Protection Boosts Yields and Sustainability
Statistics indicate a 35% increase in demand for AI-based crop protection services, reflecting a growing appreciation for smart agriculture solutions. Such platforms save valuable time while increasing the precision of decisions on how to protect crops from common threats.
AI-based recommendations significantly reduce the risk of improper applications or excessive chemical usage. By lowering chemical loads on soils and ecosystems, the platform promotes environmental sustainability, leading to healthier biodiversity and improved food quality. In addition, optimized treatments reduce financial losses from ineffective applications and prevent crop loss due to mismanagement.
Toward a Unified Digital Agriculture Ecosystem
Looking ahead, the Svoe Fermerstvo platform will be integrated with Russia’s national system FGIS Saturn, which tracks the movement of pesticides and agrochemicals. This integration will establish a seamless digital pathway from product selection to application monitoring and result evaluation.
Advanced AI and machine learning algorithms will soon enable the platform to go beyond recommendations — predicting threats, recommending proactive treatments, and optimizing spray schedules using historical and real-time data. Precision weather forecasting will further improve application timing, while NDVI-based crop monitoring tools will support hyper-local, precision-targeted treatments.
This development aligns with the principles of precision agriculture — maximizing inputs, minimizing environmental impact, and boosting productivity through data.
A Step Toward Export and Global AgTech Collaboration
Svoe Fermerstvo holds strong potential for nationwide adoption through government-backed agricultural programs and subsidies. Its inclusion in broader digitalization initiatives is expected to accelerate transformation across the Russian agri-food sector.
Eventually, the platform may evolve into a core component of a full-scale precision farming system, integrating data from sensors, satellites, and AI models to enhance management at every production stage. Yield prediction systems based on big data could revolutionize forecasting accuracy.
With further adaptation — such as incorporating region-specific threats and registered treatments — this Russian-built platform could find a receptive audience abroad, offering competitive solutions to farmers worldwide.
