Google has announced the expansion of its Agricultural Landscape Understanding (ALU) and Agricultural Monitoring and Event Detection (AMED) APIs to Southeast Asia and Japan. Initially launched in India, these tools are now available to “trusted testers” in Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Japan.
The ALU API, which was introduced to Indian developers in October 2024, identifies various agricultural features such as fields, water bodies, and vegetation boundaries. The AMED API builds upon the ALU by delivering field-level insights into the most commonly cultivated crops, along with their planting and harvesting schedules. This data is updated every 15 days to facilitate the detection of agricultural events.
Both APIs utilize remote sensing and machine learning technologies to provide localized insights aimed at fostering cost-effective and targeted agricultural solutions. Alok Talekar, Lead of Agriculture and Sustainability Research at Google DeepMind, stated, “These local use cases have delivered on our ambition for AI to assist targeted, data-driven action and solutions that benefit stakeholders across India”s agriculture landscape.”
Google emphasized the success of these APIs in India, citing their positive impact on startups, government initiatives, and research institutions striving for enhanced sustainability and resilience in agriculture. The combined functionalities of these models offer critical information that serves as a foundation for developing precision agriculture tools, optimizing resource allocation, and refining farm management practices.
In India, the APIs are being integrated into Krishi DSS, a platform developed for the agriculture ministry, to improve advanced analytics for policymakers and field officers. Additionally, the Council on Energy, Environment and Water plans to utilize these APIs to establish targeted income-support mechanisms that promote climate-friendly crops.
Furthermore, startups have leveraged these APIs to enhance climate-smart advisory services for over 10 million farmers and to streamline rural credit processes. This expansion signifies Google”s commitment to advancing agricultural technology across diverse regions, potentially transforming agricultural practices in Southeast Asia and Japan.
