By Raj Yadav

The agricultural sector, long considered a traditional industry, is undergoing a transformation powered by advancements in technology. Agritech, the fusion of agriculture and technology, offers innovative ways to increase yields, reduce costs, and improve sustainability and is emerging as a sunrise industry in India.

The government, taking notice of this potential, has taken significant steps in the 2023-24 Budget to revolutionise the agricultural sector by allocating Rs 1.25 lakh crores for agriculture. The government aims to boost the startup ecosystem with an Agriculture Accelerator Fund, providing cost-effective technological solutions. The Budget focuses on bolstering the agritech ecosystem through strategic investments, infrastructure development, and policy reforms, all aimed at expediting technological innovation in agriculture.

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One of the main obstacles hindering the effective adoption of agritech solutions in the agricultural sector is limited penetration. With rural farmers having limited access to modern technology and a tech-agnostic agricultural tenet, agritech solutions are yet to percolate to grassroots levels.

Despite these roadblocks to the effective implementation of agritech solutions in India, these hurdles present an opportunity for established and emerging agritech companies to strategise and develop user-centric, technology-intensive solutions that can bridge the gap between government initiatives and successful practices.

At Gramik, we strive to realise our mission to empower ranks and files of agriculture by providing last-mile access to quality farm inputs, leveraging the expertise of agronomists, and implementing technical innovations for detecting plant diseases, determining fertiliser needs, and selecting suitable seeds. Gramik is effectively tackling the agricultural B2B supply chain bottlenecks by harnessing technology. Our R&D team also studies crop patterns and regional dynamics data to predict which products will be in demand in different areas and showcases them accordingly.

Agritech companies can create customised solutions aligned with their technological proficiency by prioritising farmers’ needs and constraints. Leveraging data analytics and machine learning, these companies offer valuable insights into farm operations. To attain this, agritech companies must adopt a collaborative approach.

Through the combined efforts, agritech companies can build trust among farmers. This, in turn, leads to improved productivity. Along with the joint efforts of the government and agritech firms, Indian agriculture can reach new horizons and transform the sector from dusk to dawn.

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Maximising Yields

* Agritech, the fusion of agriculture and tech, offers innovative ways to increase yields

* Gramik is tackling the agricultural B2B supply chain bottlenecks by harnessing technology

The writer is founder and CEO, Gramik, an agri-commerce platform