ITC Ltd’s crop-agnostic full stack agritech platform ITCMAARS’ hyperlocal and customised solutions "Crop Doctor" has enabled farmers to improve plant health for up to 70 crops.

The “Crop Doctor”, powered by AI and ML-based capabilities, is enabling real-time detection of plant diseases, delivering tailored remedial guidance to Indian farmers.

Championed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), this year’s International Day of Plant Health Day theme, “Plant Biosecurity for Food Security,” underscores the need to strengthen protection against pests and diseases to ensure global food supplies, protect livelihoods, and maintain environmental health.

Reinforcing this commitment on the ground, ITCMAARS ‘Crop Doctor’ enables farmers to diagnose crop diseases and pest infestations instantly using AI-based image analytics. This feature provided in the ITCMAARS superapp covers 70 different crops and has been used 3 lakh times in a short span, helping farmers take corrective measures and prevent crop loss, ITC said in a statement.

By ensuring early detection, the tool strengthens biosecurity at the farm level, minimising the spread of diseases. Crop Doctor also recommends customised remedial actions covering chemical, biological and mechanical crop management practices, reducing the time gap between pest detection and mitigation. The recommendations are available both in vernacular text and audio, for convenience of farmers.

Farmers can also seek personalised guidance from ITC’s agri experts with the help of the platform’s direct engagement service, which provides support through toll free lines in regional languages.

Launched in 2022, the ITCMAARS model has developed into a full-stack Farming as a Service (FaaS) solution that acts as a robust input-output marketplace enabled by advanced digital technologies & anchored by FPOs on ground. The ITCMAARS ecosystem has already benefitted close to 2.5 million farmers and 2180 FPOs across 11 states.

According to pilot estimates, the integrated initiative has resulted in a 10–15 per cent reduction in fertiliser usage and a 15–20 per cent improvement in crop yields, enhancing overall farm incomes by around 25 per cent.

As a company working for more than a century with farmers, ITC’s digital stack for agriculture, led by ITCMAARS, aims to reach 10 million farmers enabling rural development and progress.

“Plant health and food security are deeply interconnected, especially in the context of climate change and pest risks. Comprehensive interventions for soil health, agri inputs and weather alerts across sowing to harvesting are critical in ensuring good plant health. Through our integrated ITCMAARS phygital ecosystem and powered by its unique tech-enabled solutions including the ‘Crop Doctor’ and expert on-ground customized advisories, we are committed to helping farmers with accessible, science-led solutions that support early detection, preventive action and sustainable crop management. Our endeavour is to strengthen farm resilience while improving productivity and farmer livelihoods,” said S Ganesh Kumar, Chief Executive, Agri Business Division, ITC Ltd.

The predictive, hyperlocal and dynamic tech-based advisories on the ITCMAARS platform also include the Crop Calendar - an AI powered nudge engine helping farmers to scientifically plan crop cycles and timely farming activities for 53 different crops, based on agroclimatic conditions, to maximize yields.

Published on May 13, 2026