Harnessing satellite data and AI to strengthen agricultural intelligence in Bihar

• Sep 3, 2026
• 2 min

Agriculture in Bihar faces a range of uncertainties. For smallholder farmers, unpredictable weather, fragmented agricultural services, and limited access to timely and reliable information can make it difficult to make informed decisions throughout the crop cycle. For government agencies, the challenge is different but closely connected. Effective planning, targeted subsidies, and timely responses to agricultural risks depend on access to accurate, localized information about what is happening on the ground. 

The Bihar Crop Intelligence Pilot (BCIP) is an Earth Observation (EO)-based agricultural intelligence project. It explores how geospatial technology can help address these information gaps. The initiative uses satellite-based EO, artificial intelligence (AI), and ground-level data to develop a more detailed and timely understanding of agriculture across 38 districts in Bihar. 

MSC is responsible for implementing the pilot end-to-end, including procurement, vendor selection and coordination, technical quality assurance, and coordination with the Government of Bihar and donors. 

The pilot is being implemented during the Kharif 2026 season and focuses on three major crops: paddy, maize, and tur (pigeon pea). BCIP combines satellite imagery, AI-based models, and ground-truth data. It also tests three complementary approaches to build agricultural intelligence: 

• Agricultural field boundary detection: Identifies and maps individual agricultural plots and creates a detailed spatial foundation for subsequent analysis. 

• Crop type classification: Uses satellite imagery and ground-truth data to identify where paddy, maize, and tur are cultivated and to estimate the area under each crop, from the village level up to the state level. 

• Yield forecasting: Generates estimates of expected yields for the three focus crops at the village and district levels and provides an early indication of likely production outcomes. 

Together, these approaches are intended to provide a clearer picture of Bihar’s agricultural landscape. They show where fields are located, what farmers cultivate, and how much those crops may produce. The broader objective is to assess how EO and AI can generate reliable and localized agricultural intelligence. This can support better planning and decision-making for farmers and government stakeholders. 

BCIP seeks to move from fragmented and often delayed agricultural information toward a timely, data-driven, and geographically detailed understanding of Bihar’s crops. The BCIP 2026 pilot will help assess the potential of these approaches and their usefulness for agricultural decision-making at scale. 

The BCIP is led by the Government of Bihar and MSC (MicroSave Consulting), with support from the Gates Foundation.