Bharat-VISTAAR (Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural Resources

Indian agriculture is characterised by fragmentation, information asymmetry, and limited access to timely, reliable advisory services. Over 140 million smallholder farmers rely on periodic extension services or informal networks for decisions on sowing, irrigation, fertilisation, pest control, and scheme access. Agricultural research produced by ICAR and universities rarely reaches ground level. Farmers lack a unified point of access for crop guidance, weather inputs, market intelligence, and government scheme eligibility. Bharat-VISTAAR was designed to bridge this gap by offering a conversational, voice-first, AI-powered interface accessible even to farmers without smartphones or strong digital literacy.

COSS is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to driving global societal transformation by facilitating countries to develop their Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and advancing the adoption of Digital Public Goods (DPGs) at scale. Headquartered at IIIT Bangalore, COSS is a joint initiative of the EkStep Foundation and IIIT Bangalore. The organisation draws on India’s decade-long experience with digital transformation - including Aadhaar, UPI, and other DPI initiatives - to support countries in building equitable, inclusive digital ecosystems. It has also engaged with governments in Brazil, Morocco, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, and others. Its mission is to improve the lives of 1 billion people globally by 2030 through DPG adoption. The organization contributed to the Bharat-VISTAAR initiative in the context of its broader work at the intersection of AI, public digital infrastructure, and societal impact.