The Russian Science Foundation has summed up the results of the Megagrant competition for fundamental and exploratory scientific research led by leading foreign scientists, including research of an applied nature. The amount of such a grant will range from 20 to 50 million rubles annually. The support period is 5 years with the possibility of extension for another 3 years.

According to the results of the examination, the Southern Federal University project "Development and implementation of a methodology for creating a digital soil twin based on artificial intelligence and Big Data technology" was supported, headed by Tanwar Sudeep, Head of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the Institute of Technology at Nirma University (India), an expert in the field of security system development and building wireless and intelligent networks.

"The joint research initiative was born out of professional ties between researchers from India and Russia, common academic interests, and previous joint publications in the fields of AI, big data, and digital modeling, which perfectly match our scientific interests in digital soil mapping and sustainable land use. A common vision for the development of environmental science through advanced digital technologies, supported by the successful experience of Russian-Indian projects, quickly formed mutual understanding and enthusiasm for this cooperation. Building on the solid foundation of existing scientific ties, we will be able to significantly accelerate progress and achieve significant results in creating innovative solutions for soil health and sustainable agriculture," Tanwar Sudeep shared.

A network of regional soil data centers has been operating in the Moscow, Belgorod and Rostov regions of Russia for several years. Their goal is to collect a reliable training sample for modeling soil cover using AI, in other words, creating "digital doubles" of soils. In the Rostov region, such a data center is the Bioengineering Center of the SFedU Academy of Biology and Biotechnology, and the regional branch of the Agrochemical Service of Russia and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Rostov Region help with data collection.

Yuri Litvinov, head of the SFedU Bioengineering Center, said that today more than 90% of the region's soil data has been digitized.

"Having a digital version of all agricultural lands, you can provide timely information about them to farmers and the Ministry of Agriculture, you can objectively carry out a cadastral assessment of any piece of land, and most importantly, recommend which dose of mineral fertilizers is needed in each specific case," Yuri Litvinov shared.

Soil cover modeling requires the analysis of a large amount of soil data, which can only be handled by artificial intelligence. But soil information is sparse, incomplete, and multimodal, which means that not every AI will be able to correctly evaluate and analyze it.

"My colleagues from Nirma University, Dr. Rajesh Gupta, Dr. Jitendra Bhatia, and Dr. Nilesh Kumar Patel, and I specialize in wireless and smart networks, cybersecurity, and smart systems. However, we are aware that the integration of advanced digital technologies is critically important for solving complex social problems that go beyond the traditional ICT sphere. Soil science and soil fertility have a direct impact on sustainable agriculture and food security, which is crucial for the socio-economic stability of India and the world. Our interdisciplinary approach reflects the desire to use intelligent and secure network systems for the benefit of society, reducing the gap between engineering and sustainable management of natural resources. This is in line with the global priorities of smart agriculture and supports India's strategy of technological self—reliance and environmental sustainability," explained Tanwar Sudeep.

That is why the methodology for creating a digital soil twin will be developed by soil scientists from the D.I. Ivanovsky Academy of Biology and Biotechnology of the Southern Federal University, IT specialists from the Institute of Computer Technology and Information Security of the Southern Federal University and a world-class expert from India. From the Russian side, the megagrant will be led by Svetlana Sushkova, Head of the Intelligent Agroecosystems Research Laboratory.

"Currently, a large amount of soil information has been accumulated, characterized by its diversity, chronology of acquisition and heterogeneous data sources. In this regard, the issue of developing new methodological solutions for the implementation of operational intelligent analysis of soil data becomes urgent. It is assumed that these technologies will not only increase the efficiency of agricultural production, but also minimize the cost of maintaining soil fertility. The results of the project will create a scientific and technological base for environmentally sustainable agricultural land management practices," Svetlana Sushkova explained.

As a result, a network of distributed soil databases will be created in the Rostov region and a graphical interface for the digital twin of the region's soils will be developed.

"The methodology of creating digital soil twins using AI and big data will not only deepen scientific understanding, but also provide specific tools for farmers, regulators and agrotechnology companies. This will optimize land use, dose fertilizers more precisely, and introduce sustainable farming methods, which will directly increase yields and long-term soil health. Such results are especially important for India, where food safety is a national priority, as well as for other countries facing climate change and land degradation. The adaptable and secure digital platform we are developing can be applied in various agro—climatic zones of the world, helping countries to create sustainable agricultural systems and ensure food security for future generations," Tanwar Sudip summed up.

This project is a clear example of how the Russian—Indian scientific partnership is able to solve global challenges by creating innovations with real social impact.

For reference: Professor Tanwar Sudip is the author of more than 550 scientific publications (including more than 224 journal articles, more than 420 articles indexed in SCOPUS, and more than 217 articles published in journals indexed in SCI/SCIE, including IEEE/Wiley Transactions). He is the author/editor of 33 books (including 7 authored books, 16 edited books (5 books as the sole editor) and 10 edited books as conference proceedings). He is included in the list of 2% of the best scientists in the world according to the list prepared by Stanford University, USA (for the last 5 years in a row, i.e. 2023-24, 2022-23, 2021-22, 2020-21 and 2019-20). Scopus h-index — 71. He has more than 21 years of teaching experience (as a lecturer, senior lecturer, associate professor, professor) and more than 18 years of administrative experience (as head of the department). He has academic and scientific awards of national and international level.