CGIAR AI Hub
The CGIAR AI Hub brings together CGIAR and partners to turn AI innovation into practical tools/products that accelerate agricultural research for Food, Land and Water systems and support real-world decisions.
Overview
The CGIAR AI Hub is a global collaborative workplace hosted in Abu Dhabi, leveraging CGIAR’s more than 50 years of agricultural data and expertise from our 13 global research centers and partner networks to accelerate digital transformation. The Hub works closely with CGIAR scientists, its Digital Transformation Accelerator, and AI partners to transform research into digital solutions that support real decisions.
The Hub exists to help CGIAR’s knowledge move faster from research into action. It supports people working across Food, Land and Water systems across agriculture, climate, and development by transforming scientific insight into practical digital products that improve outcomes on the ground.
As part of Abu Dhabi’s AI Ecosystem for Global Agricultural Development, launched through the UAE–Gates Foundation partnership, the AI Hub is part of CGIAR’s broader digital transformation efforts and reflects CGIAR’s commitment to using innovation to support food security, climate resilience, and environmental sustainability.
Mission
The mission of the CGIAR AI Hub is to leverage artificial intelligence to help CGIAR science drive better outcomes and impact for people and the planet. Through partnerships in the UAE, the Hub helps turn research into practical AI solutions across food, land, and water systems.
In simple terms: Bringing AI to agriculture faster and at scale.
Why is it important?
Climate change, environmental stress, and growing demand for food are increasing pressure on farmers, governments, and development organizations to make faster and better decisions. These decisions depend on timely information, predictions, and insights to manage risk, plan for the future, and respond to changing conditions.
For decades, CGIAR has generated world-class science and data to support these decisions. However, much of this knowledge has remained difficult to access in real time, spread across systems that are slow and hard to use when urgent action is needed.
The AI Hub was created to close this gap. By working with CGIAR Digital Transformation Accelerator and AI partners, the Hub helps turn our science into usable digital tools and insights that support critical decisions and increase CGIAR’s real-world impact.
Ecosystem
The AI Hub works within a broader Abu Dhabi’s AI Ecosystem for Global Agricultural Development, a unified system bringing together UAE institutions, CGIAR, the Gates Foundation and leading AI partners that connects CGIAR science with advanced AI and digital capabilities. This ecosystem helps CGIAR move faster from research to real digital solutions.
The Hub connects key parts of the system:
- CGIAR Centers and Science Programs provide scientific expertise and data.
- The Digital Transformation Accelerator supports early digital and AI prototypes.
- AI partners such as MBZUAI and AI71 provide advanced AI research and engineering.
- AIM for scale and CGIAR Scaling for Impact Program leans into scaling partners to support adoption and use by real users.
The AI Hub acts as the nexus across this ecosystem, aligning science, technology, and delivery.
Operations
The AI Hub focuses on a small set of core ways of working to move from research to impact.
- A clear product pipeline with priority AI products and roadmaps, identified through collaborative co-design product workshops with representatives from CGIAR Science portfolio.
- Structured partnerships across CGIAR and external AI teams.
- Data readiness so CGIAR data can be used safely and effectively.
- Design for adoption and scale from the start.
- Tracking outcomes to show value to partners and funders.
This approach helps ensure that digital tools move beyond pilots and support real decisions.
Products
The AI Hub develops a focused and prioritized portfolio of AI products that convert CGIAR data and science into practical tools for people working across food, land, and water systems.
AgriLLM
The problem
Farmers and advisors struggle to access and apply agricultural research in ways that are timely and practical.
The AI solution
An agriculture-specific language model trained on CGIAR and public data to support digital advisory tools.
Key benefits
- Makes research easier to understand
- Supports local languages
- Reaches more farmers where extension staff are limited
Who it supports
Farmers, extension services, advisory platforms, researchers.
Partners and data
Gates Foundation, CGIAR, Worldbank, Embrapa and other global agricultural data sources and developed by the engineering teams of ai71.
Status
MVP, launched in December 2025. More work on LLM evaluations will follow.
Genebank AI
The problem
CGIAR has 11 Genebanks with more than 700, 000 accessions. Most crop genetic resources are underused because data is fragmented and discovery is slow.
The AI solution
A unified and AI-powered platform that links genetic, trait, and phenotypic data to help users find the right material faster.
Key benefits
- Faster access to relevant germplasm
- Less manual work
- Better feedback on what works in practice
Who it supports
Breeders, researchers, genebank teams, farmers.
Partners and data
CGIAR Genebanks. Initial databases include: Genesys, GRIN-Global, GIGWA
Status
In development; kickoff meeting with Digital Transformation Accelerator and Genebanks Accelerator with ai71 AI and ML teams took place in February 2026.
Hydrology AI
The problem
Water and climate data are complex and hard to turn into practical planning insights. Hydrology models are harder to calibrate for basin specific areas.
The AI solution
AI-driven tools for agriculture and water resilience, drawing on near-real-time data, hydrological modelling and digital twin experience to improve how scientific information. Through contributions including the Global Hydrological Foundation Model and the Limpopo Water Copilot, IWMI is helping translate complex climate and water data into practical, locally relevant insights.
Key benefits
- Clearer insights for planning and resilience
- Better use of existing data
- Basin specific SWAT models calibrated
Who it supports
Hydrologists in the Global South, Researchers, policymakers, water managers.
Partners and data
IWMI and CGIAR water dataset
Status
In development
Policy AI
The problem
Policy and economic models are difficult to run and interpret, especially in low-income contexts.
The AI solution
AI tools that translate plain-language questions into model inputs and explain results clearly.
Key benefits
- Faster policy analysis
- Easier access to complex models
Who it supports
Policymakers, analysts, researchers.
Partners and data
CGIAR policy and economic models.
Status
Concept
Livestock AI
The problem
Farmers and advisors lack clear, local guidance on breeds and strains.
The AI solution
AI-generated summaries that turn complex livestock data into practical guidance.
Key benefits
- Clear, usable information
- Support for local languages and contexts
Who it supports
Farmers, extension workers, policymakers.
Partners and data
ILRI, ICARDA, livestock datasets.
Status
Concept
Partners
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