Agri-tech startups are on a mission
The first thing that comes to mind when talking about agriculture is the image of a poor, uneducated farmer working in the field. The perception about startups in agriculture space is no better. To break this perception, we partnered with Vodafone Developer Program for the Agriculture Meetup recently. The major innovators who showcased at the meetup were CropIn, Stella Apps, eFarm and FrontalRain Technologies. These agri-tech startups are on a mission to not only create an impactful change in our country but also redefine the way in which technology interacts and shapes the agri-landscape.
Stella Apps: India's first technology-based dairy solution which provides next generation dairy support to medium farmers. Stella Apps provides cost effective end-to-end solutions for dairy farms, preventive healthcare, peak yield management, reduced insurance premium and premium milk production to improve the lifestyle and yield from the cattle using their key product ConTrak. This enables internet-based reporting of real-time cold chain management along with tamper proofing features and pilferage reduction as applicable to Bulk Milk Coolers (BMCs), Silos and Cold storage rooms.
CropIn Technologies: Technology and access to services are required to unleash the potential of small farmers and help them reach the markets. A large number of small farmers lack good resources and knowledge base, which limits their capacity to pursue their goals when it comes to sustainability. This capacity can be created by increasing their access to knowledge through education and training. CropIn provides a network of ERP and Business Intelligence services across rural India and collaborates with value chain participants along the supply chain to monitor farm produce status more closely.
eFarm: One of the biggest problems facing our nation today is food security. Factors such as high costs of operation and low margins make this business difficult to operate. Over 70% of India is dependent on agriculture, and eFarm is working to improve the efficiency of the system. eFarm is a supply chain solution for agri-based businesses. A social enterprise firm based in Chennai, eFarm is a supply chain platform, which provides technology solutions and on-ground distribution mechanism, thus enabling farmers to reach end markets in an effective manner. eFarm ties in farmers, intermediaries, logistics providers, all the way reaching your local road-side vendor to deliver low price farm produce.
FrontalRain: Businesses based on agriculture face myriad problems due to unpredictable weather which lead to fluctuating commodity prices. When this is combined with regulatory barriers it results in bad market access. Challenges in farm productivity due to low technology adoption and delicate relationship between farmers and agribusiness pose immense difficulties to companies operating in this sector. FrontalRain’s Rain+ technology are a bunch of food supply chain software on the Cloud along with Analytics and Mobile support. Their software Rain+ has helped several agribusinesses to grow rapidly with the help of technology.
