Digitization is rapidly changing workplaces and industries, offering data, efficiency and often better workflows. The agricultural sector is no different. Although the government of India has created several initiatives to alleviate concerns in the country related to water scarcity, crop cycle shortages, climate challenges and others, life as a farmer is worrying.
To help alleviate these concerns, Nishant Mahatre and Tauseef Khan (both students at IIT-Kharagpur and IIM-Ahmedabad) developed Gramophone, an agritech startup. The duo created an app that brings timely information and related insights that can lead to better yields for farmers.
“Our goal is to bring the best agricultural products, data and knowledge to farmers,” shared Khan, CEO and co-founder of Gramophone. “Our app, which can be easily downloaded on any mobile device via the Google Play store, is a one-stop answer for farmers where they can buy original farm nutrition, crop protection, seeds, implements and farm equipment at their doorstep. ”
Farmers can access crop information and recommendations on the best products to grow, including weather data. This helps them not only improve productivity but also sustainably increase their revenue.
The way the app works is quite unique. The Gramophone app has a six-pronged strategy to help farmers increase their productivity:
-
Support and consultancy – including general information and education, as well as recommendations based on your specific cultures
2. Input planning – helps farmers better evaluate their land, facilitating soil analysis and crop nutrition management
3. Quality – allows farmers to purchase top-notch products from trusted suppliers
4. Availability – to ensure that products arrive promptly and that farmers are kept up to date with new developments in the market
5. Accessibility – and convenience to ensure farmers receive products at their doorstep
6. Cost-benefit – ensures that products are sold at a more competitive price than the original market value.
The company also has a toll-free number that offers similar resources for farmers who don't have access to a smartphone.
What's more: Gramophone conducts field visits, where a member with extensive agricultural experience will personally visit a farm, observing the nature of the clay and the climate to provide the best farming and cultivation suggestions.
The most significant challenges for the co-founders to date have been the first site visits in Madhya Pradesh. “When we went to rural villages for the first time, it was an obstacle because we were strangers entering their space,” explained Mahatre. “The farmers’ initial response was, ‘Who are you? We have been doing this type of cultivation for years.”
Proving the authenticity of the Gramophone took time. “However, over time we were able to build their support and gain credibility,” Mahatre added.
Resolving obstacles
In 2009, after certification from IIM-Ahmedabad in agribusiness management, IIT-Kharagpur alumni decided to solve the main problem that worried the Indian farmer. They realized that the biggest challenge was productivity.
“India is one of the leading nations in fruit and vegetable production. To solve the problems that arise for the Indian farmer, we wanted to combine agriculture and technology to create something that provides the right knowledge and methodology,” said Khan.
Farmers in India typically have little control over crop market prices or how favorable yields may be in one year compared to another. There are many variables that are simply out of these workers' control.
“So we wanted to address things that are within the control of farmers and help save situations by encouraging them to improve productivity by 50 to 70 percent,” he said. And it seems to be working. Today, Gramophone has more than 200 employees.
A positive impact
The most significant impact that technology has had on farmers in India is that it has changed their mindset and the way they approach farming.
“The change in farmers’ behavior and mentality is something we have noticed over the years and has had a great impact. Better understanding the potential of agriculture and what we can do to make a difference is something we constantly strive to do through Gramophone,” said Mahatre. “In quantitative terms, we saw that there was an increase in production by up to 40 percent and a decrease in the cost of cultivation by 20 percent, in the case of farmers who used our application.”
Ramkishan ji Kanardi, a farmer from MP, who has benefited greatly from the gramophone app, shared, “When I first went to the Gramophone office in Indore, they trained me how to use the app. This was very useful for me as it introduced me to the weather forecast and previous rainfall predictions. Furthermore, the app informed me if there were any diseases on my plantation and, if so, how they could be remedied with appropriate medicines. If there are any requirements that need to be met, the office is notified and they call me to provide me with a solution, unlike others who sell a certain brand, Gramophone tells me what would work best for me and my crop.”
More than three lakh farmers have employed the Gramophone platform to date, which has mainly resulted from word of mouth sales.
“In our local store, there are no branded products that we can use in our products, but with the gramophone app, we can place our order during the day and have it delivered to our doorstep in the evening,” said Devendra Patidar, another farmer from MP.” This is very convenient for us farmers, as we don’t have to spend a lot of time waiting for our products, or we will end up buying the wrong product.”
Gramophone credits much of its success to the support of other organizations. Some of the companies that have funded Gramophone to date include Naukri.com, Better Capital, Asha Impact and Info Edge Limited, among others.
The team hopes to expand to other states, including Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, and originate the app in other languages as well.
“Building and replicating the human interface through technology, such as a chat service presented by the app, is something we hope to do soon, as we note that farmers like to be guided and directed until the goods arrive at their doorstep,” he said. Mahatre. “We have a free calling service, but owning it would be an added benefit.”