In Medellin, talking about crops no longer means only soil, rain, and prices. At the II AgroTIC 2025 Artificial Intelligence Summit, farmers, officials, and startups spent a full day discussing algorithms, data, and sensors as part of normal farm life.
The event showed that AI in Colombia’s countryside is no longer a distant idea. It is starting to appear in weather alerts, farm credit apps, and tools that help small producers decide what, when, and how to plant.
A summit that turned Medellin into an AI hub for agriculture
The Ministry of Agriculture and UPRA chose Medellin, during the Agrofuturo fair, to host a new chapter of the II AgroTIC 2025 Artificial Intelligence Summit. More than 500 people joined, both in person and online.
Speakers insisted that AI has already “arrived to stay” in the rural sector. The question is how to make it work for farmers in different regions, instead of staying only in big cities or in large companies.
National AI policy as a guide, not just a document
During the summit, UPRA officials reminded the audience that Colombia already has a National AI Policy, set by CONPES 4144 in 2025. This policy sets ethical rules, governance structures, and six strategic axes to support research and adoption.
The idea is to use AI as a tool for social and economic change, helping close gaps, improve productivity, and support a more sustainable economy by 2030. In agriculture, that includes smarter use of water, soil, and inputs.
For rural agencies such as UPRA, this policy is not abstract. It guides programs that combine open data, satellite images, and machine learning to support planning and to give farmers clearer information before they make big decisions.
From food security to farm credit, AI in real farm problems
International voices also played a key role. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, or FAO, representative in Colombia reminded everyone that Latin America has reduced hunger, but progress is still slow, and climate change adds pressure.
In that context, AI tools that help monitor crops, predict yields, or track pests can speed up progress toward the 2030 Agenda goals, if they are designed for real farms and not only for labs.
Agrosavia’s research center La Selva explained that the mission of science is not only to publish results, but to return useful tools to producers. That means simple interfaces, local languages, and support for small and medium farmers.
Local programs, chambers of commerce, and startups joining the movement
The summit also highlighted local government efforts. Antioquia’s Productivity and Competitiveness office presented Agrocien, a program that uses data and AI to identify main farmer challenges and turn them into opportunities for rural development.
Chambers of commerce from Bogota and Medellin shared examples of digital assistance services, data analytics sensors for crops, AI “factories” that modernize farm software, and platforms that reduce food waste through better logistics.
Several startups showed tools that run on common devices, like WhatsApp agents that help small producers manage credit and finances, or platforms that connect farmers with buyers while tracking quality and prices.
Young people and universities bring fresh energy to rural AI
A special group in the summit were students and teachers from universities such as the National University, University of Antioquia, EAFIT, and SENA. They presented projects that use “smart data” to solve very concrete rural problems.
For many of these young people, AI is not only about big tech. It is a way to stay connected to their territories, create jobs in their regions, and avoid the idea that the only future is leaving the countryside.
AI in the countryside, from promise to daily tool
The II AgroTIC 2025 Artificial Intelligence Summit, chapter Medellin, closed with one main idea, AI in agriculture is no longer science fiction. It is an ongoing process that can boost productivity and inclusion in rural communities.
If policies such as CONPES 4144 and events such as AgroTIC keep pulling in farmers, local governments, universities, and startups, Colombia’s fields could see more data‑based decisions, less waste, and better chances for young people who want to build a life in the countryside.