THEME OF INNOVATION
mKRISHI: Mobile Agro Advisory Services

Focus AREA
IT & Mobile Applications

DETAILS OF INNOVATOR

Name	Dr. Arun Pande – Head, TCS Innovation Labs
Experience	2 years
Region of operation	Punjab, UP, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan
Turnover	Not disclosed
Volume	Not disclosed
No. of employees	20
Contact details	9th Floor, Nirmal Building, Nariman Point, Marine Lines, R N Goenka Marg Nariman Point
Phone	022 67788035
Email	NA

BUSINESS MODEL
Large numbers of mKRISHI articles are available on the internet. Similarly several case studies have been published in Newspapers and magazines. TCS also sends concept notes to companies explaining how mKRISHI could help them in meeting their strategic goals. Both organizations make certain investment to see the benefits in the field before commercial arrangement is signed. Typically, TCS reaches farmers through stakeholders such as agriculture input companies, agriculture universities, cattle and poultry industries, rural banks, insurance companies etc. TCS is the primary source for funding the projects.

INNOVATION DETAILS
mKRISHI is an innovative platform based on Sensor and Mobile Phone Technology to offer personalized and integrated services to farmers.

It is an innovation that allows farmers to send queries in their local languages through a mobile phone and provides personalized responses with advice or relevant information in these languages. It also helps uneducated farmers by allowing them to use the services by means of a voice SMS.

mKRISHI uses multiple technologies and has effectively demonstrated about the use of soil, crop and weather sensor technology to deliver personalized advice.

The platform also brings farmer’s stakeholders together, thus enabling integrated services.

One of the highlights of the innovation is disease prediction. It uses the concept of human participatory sensing in using disease prediction model which involves the crop based on several sensor data such as humidity, temperature, leaf wetness. The composite risk calculated by several models, if exceeded certain threshold, triggers the application on farmer’s handset automatically. Through this application farmers are asked several questions in local language, related to symptoms they observe in the field. With simple “yes” and “no” answers, experts get a risk index from the field. If both indices match, expert is comfortable in giving advice to farmers on preventive measures

IMPACT OF INNOVATION/TECHNOLOGY
Increase in yield is due to identification of right fertilizer (e.g. with proportion of Nitrogen Phosphorous and Potassium in the ratio of NPK 13–0–45 instead of 19–19–19). Approx. 1.5 q/acre increase (Rs. 4000). Market prices have been made available so that farmers can choose ‘where and when’ to sell their produce and ‘at what price’. This leads to the improvement in the bargaining power of small and medium farmers. Current pricing information for NLDEX, future prices and global rates are also available now. Banks and insurance companies can use mKRISHI platform, enabling more rapid loan payments to farmers and developing more personalized insurance packages respectively. This has led to savings be it, time or money.

RECOGNITION/AWARDS
. Qualcomm’s Wireless Reach Grand Prize 2007

. Golden Peacock Technology Innovation Award 2008

. Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Award 2008

. Nasscom’s Top 50 Innovations for the Year 2008

. India Innovation Initiative (i3) Awards 2009

. Nasscom Social Innovation Honours 2010

. Business in the community excellence award (BiTC) Big Tick

. Aegis Alexander Graham Bell Award 2010

. e-INDIA Best Private Sector Initiative of the Year Award 2010.

ISSUES
Basic challenge is the time required for commercial partners to realize the benefits. Farmers are not used to paying for services. But farmers also need to be convinced to relate services to benefits. The challenge is to create village entrepreneur/producer companies who would provide services to 1000 to 5000 farmers and earn good revenue as second source of income.

Reuters Market Light (RML): Personalized Micro Agri Information Service for Farmers through Mobile Phones
THEME OF INNOVATION
Reuters Market Light (RML): Personalized Micro Agri Information Service for Farmers through Mobile Phones

Focus AREA
IT & Mobile Applications

DETAILS OF INNOVATOR

Name	Thomson Reuters
Experience	Operational since 2007
Region of operation	17 states across India
Turnover	Not disclosed
Volume	More than half a million active consumers
No. of employees	Not disclosed
Contact details	Reuters Market Light Peninsula Club, Ground Floor, Peninsula Corporate Park, Ganpatrao Kadam Marg Lower Parel (West) Mumbai - 400 013
Phone	022 67431583
Email	amit.mehra@thomsonreuters.com

BUSINESS MODEL
Besides having an in-house team of several hundred content professionals and rural market reporters across India, RML has partnerships with leading agricultural universities, agri research institutions, public and private sector weather forecasting agencies and other relevant rural/agri information sources for generating relevant,accurate and actionable content.

For generating awareness and reaching the rural consumers in geographically remote rural locations, RML has a sales & distribution team that engages with hundreds of RML distributors and retailers in most major agricultural regions of India.

RML also has distribution partnerships with reputed channel partners that have a strong retail presence in rural India.

INNOVATION DETAILS
Reuters Market Light (RML) is a pioneering and UN award-winning business of Thomson Reuters that offers a highly personalized agri micro-information service over mobile phones to the farming community. The service is delivered as SMS over any operator or mobile phone.

RML’s information covers crop prices on daily basis, localized weather forecast, crop advisory, news & information relevant for the farming community. RML helps farmers achieve better yields and secure better prices by disseminating timely, accurate and personalized information across their key regions.

Farmers receive crop advisory as per the stage of the crop cycle, taluka specific weather forecasts, local market price information, local and international commodity information and any other agri-rural information relevant to the farming community direct to their mobile phones, in their own language, as per their individual preferences.

The decision-enabling nature of the information has a direct impact on the livelihood of farmers. Since 2007, RML has reached several million farmers in over 30,000 villages across India either through direct mobile phone activation or through sharing with other farmers.

IMPACT OF INNOVATION/TECHNOLOGY
RML service reduces farmers risk, increases their income and enhances the country’s food security.

Independent research carried out by ICRIER states that farmers’ incomes increase by up to 25% per crop cycle by using RML agri information. Some farmers have individually made as much as Rs. 4,00,000 on using the service that costs only Rs. 999 for 12 months.

Studies carried out by USAID – ACDI/VICA have highlighted major shifts in information sourcing behaviour of farmers after using RML service. Prior to using RML service, more than 90% of the farmers relied on fellow farmers for their agri information needs. After using the service, 80% of the farmers started relying on the accurate and actionable information provided through the mobile phone service.

The farmers felt empowered due to the information available to them and started sourcing more information (even beyond that delivered to them through RML service) by directly calling the commission agents in the mandi. Farmers also began seeking information from retailers when demonstrations were done for new products during different training programs.

RECOGNITION/AWARDS
Awards
. World Business and Development Award (WBDA) by the United Nations Development Program in 2010

. Financial Times – Just Means Social Innovation Award in 2010

. RMAI Rural Marketing Awards 2010

. mBillionth Award South Asia 2010

. Coffey International Award 2010

Recognition
. Four page write-up in Dr. C.K. Prahalad’s ‘Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid’

. Mention in Nandan Nilekani’s ‘Imagining India’

. Featured as a case study in the Accenture Report – ‘Masters of rural markets: The Hallmarks of High Performance’

. RML was showcased at the World Economic Forum in Cape Town

. London Business School case study: A 20-page case study which showcases RML as a strategic business model innovation

. RML was taught as a case study at the Cambridge University as part of the Business and Poverty Leadership Program

. All Leading media have featured RML including BBC, the Economist, Financial Times, Economic Times,New York Times, International Herald Tribune, Fox News, the WSJ, USA Today, Times of India, Business Standard, CNBC and ET Now

ISSUES
The key challenges for mass scale up of mobile agri information services are:

1. Creating personalized and actionable content: Most of the agri content available in India is outdated,inaccurate or else is suitable for mass audience rather than for individual farmers. Creating personalized,accurate and actionable agri content requires a large investment in terms of resources and time. Onground presence of in-house content teams is essential in all regions being covered to create timely content that can be useful and beneficial to farmers. Establishing such large teams spread out across remote rural locations across India is a major challenge.

2. Setting up distribution network in rural locations: Since such farmers are often present in remote areas, there are distribution and logistical challenges involved in reaching them at a reasonable cost. This calls for lean and innovative business models that harness win-win collaborations with various channel partners.

3. Creating awareness: Experience has shown that farmers need at least six-months of funded subscription support to harness the benefits of at least one full crop season. This allows them to then make an educated decision about whether to continue the services. Creating public-private partnership models with government agencies, NGOs, development funding agencies and CSR initiatives of private sector can effectively bridge this awareness gap.

THEME OF INNOVATION
ERP Software for Efficient Farm Management

Focus AREA
IT & Mobile Applications

DETAILS OF INNOVATOR

Name	Shivrai Technologies Pvt Ltd
Experience	9 years
Region of operation	Maharashtra
Turnover	Revenue of Rs. 2.5 crore from product sale and services
Volume	100+ software licenses last year
No. of employees	25–30
Contact details	Omkar, Plot No. 14, Sevanand Society, Walwekarnagar Satara Road, Swargate, Pune
Phone	020 24216370
Email	NA

BUSINESS MODEL
Currently they are in technical partnership with Microsoft and Intel. Revenue is generated through product sale and AMC including technical support and software upgrades.

They are looking forward to partner with agricultural institutions and NGOs to take this product at next level.

INNOVATION DETAILS
FarmERP minimizes the farm data management worries, saves money, saves time, optimizes resources, improves management skills and supports quick decision making. And most importantly it is offered in regional language.

FarmERP V2.1 is the most advanced version of FarmERP software solution which is an outcome of collective efforts of agriculture, food supply chain and IT industry experts. In near future, it will be made available over mobile devices which will help Indian farmers in taking farm related decisions.

FarmERP is an outcome of rigorous efforts put in by agriculture and IT industry experts. Use of FarmERP software suite leads to successful farm and farmer data management with additional benefits of cost and time saving. It increases

user readiness to take on the global competition. Record keeping and decision making are two important functions which will be taken care of by FarmERP. For analysis and to gain better profits farmers can keep the records of various

activities done on the farm with all minute details. FarmERP software suite provides the facility to record each and every such activity with minute details, and generating auditor and user-friendly reports. Use of FarmERP also improves

farm management skills and supports decision-making. FarmERP Mobile helps farmer to take on farm decisions with the help of agricultural calculators, schedulers, content and utilities provided over mobile phone devices.

IMPACT OF INNOVATION/TECHNOLOGY
FarmERP provides Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for various crops in form of crop schedules which can be customized by the farmer as per his/her regional conditions.

Adoption of this GAP related knowledge leads to increase in farm production. It encourages science based agriculture and use of nutrients for all crops can be analyzed through MIS reports to take specific decisions to improve soil quality.

The farmer also gets a complete control over stock information.

This information is helpful in optimization of on farm resources and drastically reduces the operational costs, increases productivity as well as profits.

It also increases farmer’s negotiating power in case of exports as well as increases the credit-worthiness of growers for the financial institutions.

RECOGNITION/AWARDS
. Felicitated by Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli for contribution in applying ICT for community development.

. Felicitated by Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri for contribution in applying ICT for community development

. Winner of The Manthan Award 2005 - GOLD ‘E-Learning’ Category.

. Winner of The Manthan Award South Asia Pacific2009 ‘Mobile Content’ Category for “FarmERP Mobile – Grape Pesticide Selector

ISSUES
Reaching to progressive farmers remains a challenge as it requires huge spending on advertisement campaigns and publicity.

Public awareness in this regard is extremely low. Culture of keeping records in farming, either manually or using systems, is not largely seen in India.

THEME OF INNOVATION
An IT Solution for the Watershed Management Programs – Watershed A to Z

Focus AREA
IT & Mobile Applications

DETAILS OF INNOVATOR

Name	Mr. Bhushan Ambadkar
Experience	7 years
Region of operation	Maharashtra
Turnover	Rs. 3 lakh
Volume	25 units sold till date
No. of employees	Not disclosed
Contact details	Software Institute for Rural Development Vandan, 30, Shivaji Hsg. Society, Near Convention Centre, Senapati Bapat Marg Pune – 411016
Phone	020 65240715, 09850037817
Email	bhushan.ambadkar@sirdpune.com, Website

BUSINESS MODEL
Mr. Bhushan has got a majority of his sales through his networking amongst NGOs which work on watershed management. He also gets some leads through his website.

INNOVATION DETAILS
Watershed management can result in huge benefits to the local farming population as it would reduce the dependence on irrigation and prevent the crop from the vagaries of excessive rainfall.

It would also result in long term increase in soil health, as it would manage erosion better. Every watershed project requires run-off calculation, run-off budgeting. This is followed by preparation of Action Plan. Once the types and number of treatments is finalized, each structure requires detailed estimation to understand the implication of the project.

Watershed A to Z software is used to do run-off calculation, run-off budgeting and cost budgeting of the watershed as well as drawing of contour maps, L-section and cross section.

The best aspect of the software is that it does these without using the expensive AUTOCAD software. Detailed estimation of every land and drainage line structure can be done in few days instead of 4 to 5 months when done manually.

IMPACT OF INNOVATION/TECHNOLOGY
This software simplifies the work by the automated design and estimates. This eliminates undue delay in vetting of detailed scheme reports and hence saving in manpower and time.

Along with uniformity and accuracy in reports prepared, substantial cost and time saving is the main advantage of this software. Other than these the interface they have prepared is user friendly.

It saves substantial costs (in the range of Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 70,000 per project) in preparation of estimates and also gives more accurate reports. It would overcome the difficulties faced by several offices on account of great shortage of technical manpower to carry out this critical work.

RECOGNITION/AWARDS
None

ISSUES
The main challenge and ultimately the biggest limitation in this venture has been that the major target customer of this software i.e. the NGOs which work on watershed management in rural areas are not tech savvy. There is also a need for greater support from government.

THEME OF INNOVATION
Nano Ganesh

Focus AREA
IT & Mobile Applications

DETAILS OF INNOVATOR

Name	Ossian Agro Automation
Experience	14 years
Region of operation	Maharashtra
Turnover	Rs. 6,90,00,000 per year
Volume	10,000 units sold till now
No. of employees	16
Contact details	#305, Munisuvrat Avenue, 3rd floor, 1089 Shukrawar Peth, Shivaji Road Swargate Corner, Pune - 411 002
Phone	020 24472277
Email	NA

BUSINESS MODEL
The innovator provides free consultation to the farmers. For marketing purposes he goes to various exhibitions to showcase his product. He has launched various campaigns in villages to increase the awareness among farmers.

INNOVATION DETAILS
Nano Ganesh is a GSM Mobile based remote control system exclusively for the use with water pump sets in agriculture areas.

The need of Nano Ganesh arose from the routine problems faced by the farmers in operating the pumps. There are fluctuations in power supply, difficult terrain, fear of animals on the way to pumps, hazardous locations of the pumps along the river or water storage beds, shock hazards, rains etc.

A Nano Ganesh Instrument is connected to the existing starter. A farmer has to simply dial a number dedicated for a Nano Ganesh set and then punch his on or off code for the control of the pump set. It can be connected to any existing electrical starter and motor pumps. Hence, there is no necessity of replacing the pumping set. For higher HP pumps, it can be connected along with the protection systems.

With the help of Nano Ganesh mobile modem a farmer can control and monitor the water pump from any distance. He can check an availability of power supply at the pump end. Can also acknowledge the on/off status of the water pump.

In some models, a farmer gets an alert call if there is a theft attempt of the cable or pump. It has unlimited range of operation with a provision of memory for storing on/off commands.

IMPACT OF INNOVATION/TECHNOLOGY
Being able to remotely control farm equipments is a tremendous benefit that technology of the future aims to provide. This is a step in that very direction.

RECOGNITION/AWARDS
. Best mobile application in the world in the emerging market by Forum Nokia

. Nominated for the Global Mobile Award, 2010 in the Mobile World Congress

. Mr. Engineer from The Institution of Engineers, Pune

. Parkhe Award from MCCIA, Pune

. Wantrapreneur Award from Villgro3

ISSUES
Making the technology available to farmers at low cost is a challenge. Farmers take around 2 to 3 years to get assured of this product which hugely increases the marketing and sales activities cost.

After sale support for repairing the same at a local level is also a current problem that the innovator is trying to solve.