Davos/New Delhi:

One of the big themes at the World Economic Forum (WEF) for the last couple of years has been artificial intelligence (AI), and the future of food and agriculture is something that’s absolutely critical. Nadir Godrej, Chairperson of Godrej Agrovet, in an interview to NDTV at Davos said artificial intelligence has a big role to play in the food sector, and Godrej Agrovet is using AI in several areas.

“We have a crop-protection business where we produce chemicals that help to protect crops. We use photographs to find crop diseases. AI studies the photographs of the crops and determines what kind of disease it is, and that is very useful,” Mr Godrej said.

He gave an example of how large oil palm plantations owned by smallholders, who don’t have the wherewithal to manage the plantations, benefit from the use of IA.

“In our oil palm business, we take satellite photographs of all our oil palm plantations which are owned by smallholders… Once we see the photographs, we can give them (smallholders) advice, we can tell them what kind of fertilizer to use, we also do soil testing, all that gets analysed, and wherever possible, we use artificial intelligence and give them the right advice to improve their yields and the quality of the oil they produce,” the chairman of the diversified agri-business major told NDTV.

He said AI helps reduce inputs such as fertilizers and costs. But how exactly?

“Once you know the exact conditions of the crop, you don’t overuse fertilisers, and overusing fertilisers causes pollution and damages the soil, but if you use the right amount, it’s very good,” Mr Godrej said, adding they collaborate with AI firms around the world, though Godrej Agrovet also has a lot of AI professionals on its rolls.

Other areas where the company uses AI are in its food businesses.

“… To manage stores, we see what is the shelf space-share we have by taking photographs of the stores, which all get analysed by artificial intelligence, so it makes all our sales staff very productive,” Mr Godrej said.

On Trump Presidency And Tariffs

Mr Godrej agreed that the issue of tariffs is critical, and obviously critical to agriculture as well. With Donald Trump 2.0 here and speculation of tariff wars in the near future, Mr Godrej said it is going to be a challenge for the Indian firm.

“… On some items we have high tariffs. It would be good for us to proactively reduce some of those tariffs; we no longer need such high tariffs for protection of our industries, and already many people are manufacturing, the foreign companies who are importing those products are already manufacturing in India, so by reducing some of these tariffs, we can make sure that we are not hit by high tariffs,” Mr Godrej said, adding if China is hit by high tariffs, India is likely to benefit.

He said sustainability is an integral part of the processes not only in Godrej Agrovet, but in all Godrej businesses.

“In 2010, we launched our ‘good and green’ programme for environmental sustainability as well as social sustainability, and it was working out very well. Subsequently, we had compulsory CSR [corporate social responsibility] spends, and we used those to help society at large, as well as reach our sustainable goals,” Mr Godrej said.

The five-day meeting at Davos that began today is exploring how to relaunch growth, harness new technologies and strengthen social and economic resilience, according to the World Economic Forum. The global meeting is seeing participation by nearly 3,000 leaders from over 130 countries, including 350 governmental leaders.

India’s participation at Davos aims to strengthen partnerships, attract investment, and position the country as a global leader in sustainable development and technological innovation. India sent five Union ministers, three chief ministers, and ministers from several other states to the WEF this time.

New Delhi:

The 127-year-old business empire of the Godrej Group is all set for a shareholding realignment. In the redistribution announced on Tuesday, the billion-dollar company will now be split between Adi and Nadir Godrej and their cousins Jamshyd Godrej and Smita Crishna Godrej.

While Adi and Nadir will lead Godrej Industries, Jamshyd and Smita will inherit Godrej & Boyce, along with its affiliates and substantial real estate assets, including prime property in Mumbai. 

Who is Jamshyd Godrej?

1. Jamshyd Godrej, 75, is presently the Chairman and Managing Director of Godrej & Boyce, a flagship company within the Godrej Group, known for products ranging from consumer goods to engineering solutions. 

2. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology, US. 

3. He has also served as the President of the World Wide Fund for Nature – India and holds chairmanship and directorship roles in organisations like the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, World Resources Institute, and Asia Society. 

4. He loves yachting and has explored the waters of the west coast of India, the Baltic & North Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea. 

5. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in India, in 2003. 

Who is Smita Crishna Godrej?

1. Smita Crishna Godrej, 74, is India’s third-richest woman, according to Forbes, with a substantial net worth of $3.8 billion. 

2. She attended J B Petit School and pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science from St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai. She also earned a Diploma in Communication Arts (Television Production) from Loyola College, (now Concordia University) in Montreal.  

3. She is a member of the Godrej clan, holding a substantial 20% stake in the family assets. Her husband, Vijay Crishna, a renowned theatre actor, and her daughter, Nyrika Holkar, are also involved in the family’s business activities. 

4. Smita Crishna Godrej is deeply engaged with the Udayachal Schools in Vikhroli, established in 1955 for the children of Godrej employees, including both workers and managers. These schools now educate over 2000 children, both girls and boys. 

5. She also serves as a Trustee for the Soonabai Pirojsha Godrej Foundation, which conserves Mumbai’s mangrove belt. She is the Director at the Naoroji Godrej Centre for Plant Research. She also supports cultural and educational initiatives, including the Mehli Mehta Music Foundation and the Children’s Museum. She was honoured with the Extraordinary Leadership Award by Education World at their Education World Grand Jury Awards in 2016.

As per the new structure Godrej Enterprises Group will now be controlled by Jamshyd Godrej, Chairperson and Managing Director.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Godrej family on late Tuesday night announced an ownership realignment of their shareholdings in the Godrej Companies. The realignment will be implemented after the relevant regulatory approvals have been obtained.

As per this new structure Godrej Enterprises Group (GEG) will now be controlled by Jamshyd Godrej, Chairperson and Managing Director, his niece [sister’s daughter] Nyrika Holkar, Executive Director, and their immediate families.

This group comprises of Godrej & Boyce (G&B) and its affiliates, which have presence across multiple industries spanning Aerospace, Aviation, Defence, Engines and Motors, Energy, Security, Building Materials, Construction, Green Building Consulting, EPC Services, Intralogistics, Healthcare Equipment, Durables, Furniture, Interior Design, Architectural Fittings, IT, Software as well as Infrastructure Solutions. 

The other group to be known as Godrej Industries Group (GIG), will have Nadir Godrej as Chairperson and will be controlled by his older brother Adi Godrej, Nadir Godrej, and their immediate families.

Pirojsha Godrej who is the son of Adi Godrej will be the Executive Vice Chairperson of GIG and will succeed Nadir Godrej as the Chairperson in August 2026.

This group includes the listed companies, Godrej Industries, Godrej Consumer Products, Godrej Properties, Godrej Agrovet and Astec Lifesciences.

Commenting on the future outlook, Jamshyd Godrej said “Since 1897, Godrej & Boyce has always been driven by the strong purpose of nation building

“With this future-facing family agreement now in place, we can further drive our growth aspirations with fewer complexities and focus on leveraging our core strengths in high tech engineering and design-led innovation across our strong portfolio of strategic, consumer and emerging businesses,” he said. 

Nadir Godrej in a statement said, “Godrej was founded in 1897 to help build economic independence for India. This deep purpose of innovating for a cause – the values of trust and respect and the belief in trusteeship and making communities that the companies operate in stronger and better – continue to form the bedrock of who we are 125 years later. We look forward to building on this legacy with focus and agility.”

Both Groups will continue to use the Godrej brand.