Artificial intelligence in Indian dairy farming: Challenges and emerging opportunities

Abstract

India’s rapid urbanisation has intensified pressure on land, infrastructure, and social systems, reshaping livelihood patterns across rural, peri-urban, and urban regions. The conversion of agricultural land, expansion of built-up areas, and declining forest cover have significantly altered environmental stability and economic opportunities. Bengaluru district, one of India’s fastest-growing urban centres, illustrates these transformations through rising population density, increased groundwater extraction, reduction of cultivable land, and expansion of ecologically sensitive zones into construction and industrial activities. These changes have created new urban employment avenues while simultaneously eroding traditional livelihood bases, especially for small farmers and vulnerable communities. The study highlights how unplanned growth leads to land-use conflicts, environmental degradation, and socio-economic inequalities. Using recent spatial and demographic data, the analysis underscores the urgent need for sustainable land-use planning, protection of green cover, restoration of water bodies, and livelihood diversification strategies. Strengthening rural-urban linkages, improving environmental governance, and ensuring equitable access to resources are essential for making urbanisation more compatible with long-term livelihood security.