ITCMAARS, the “phygital” platform floated by ITC, has benefitted 2.2 million farmers and over 2,100 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) across 11 states, the company said.
The platform’s usage by farmers resulted in a 10–15% reduction in fertiliser usage and a 15–20% improvement in crop yields, enhancing overall farm incomes by approximately 25%, ITC said in a statement.
The platform, designed as a meta market for agriculture and digital services, offers personalised services to farmers for farm-gate purchase, fertiliser usage, weather advisories, and climate-resilient agricultural practices. It also enables farmers to access bank credit through Kisan Credit Cards and serves as an output-input marketplace for farmers.
The company’s digital stack for agriculture aims to reach 10 million farmers.
The platform is now operational in eleven states, operating in eight different languages to provide user flexibility for farmers. It is also a plug and play model that works as a solutions integrator with Agri-tech start- ups providing grassroot solutions to farming challenges
Launched in 2022, the ITCMAARS model has developed into a full-stack farming as a service (FaaS) solution that acts as a robust marketplace enabled by advanced digital and AI technologies.
“Our AI strategy in agriculture focuses on orchestrating a multi-stakeholder inclusive ecosystem that aims to enhance efficiency at every node of farming operation from crop planning, climate-smart advisories, production, input linkages, procurement and market discovery,” S Ganesh Kumar, divisional chief executive, agri business, ITC said