The agricultural system is critical for the survival and continuation of human life. Throughout history, different practices have been in place to ensure a plentiful supply of produce. However, with the increasing population and demand, it is essential to optimize agriculture for efficiency to be sustainable in the long run.
What is sustainable agriculture?
Sustainable agriculture involves several alternatives to traditional input-intensive methods, which have long-term drawbacks such as topsoil degradation, reduced biodiversity, groundwater depletion, and increased carbon footprint. Optimization of agricultural methods is necessary to reduce the impact of agriculture on the environment while ensuring enough production to end hunger. On that end, there are a number of agritech companies working with the farmers towards sustainability:
Agrowave
An agritech startup, Agrowave works by optimizing the supply chain to help farmers reduce food waste. The platform bridges the gap between farms and businesses by collecting agricultural produce at the farm gates. Instead of travelling long distances to find middlemen or buyers, farmers can rely on the company to deliver their produce fresh to the businesses while making a better margin than conventional methods. The company works with over 4,500 farmers, and their model greatly improves the efficiency of the delivery from farm to consumer.
FarmERP
FarmERP functions on four main principles- sustainability, food safety, traceability, and climate resilience. The company leverages cutting-edge technology such as Artificial intelligence, Internet of Agricultural Things, Blockchain, and Machine Learning to radically transform agricultural methods. FarmERP solves two of the major issues faced by Indian farmers – productivity and market linkage. They help the farmers to farm efficiently and find the right connection to the market for the best price.
Agpharm Bioinnovations LLP
Agpharm Bioinnovations is a biotech start-up that endeavors to make farming practices and products free from harmful chemicals. With a vision of “Science towards sustainable development of life”, the company translates a range of technologies from the lab to the farm in a highly cost-effective manner. Their product portfolio includes biopesticides, herbal-based antimicrobials and disinfectants, products to enhance the shelf life of produce, and other greener alternatives to protect crops.
Organic Ubuntu
Organic Ubuntu offers end-to-end support to farmers through training, technology, and market linkage to help them transition to organic farming. Working with non-profits the company trains farmers on various sustainable organic farming practices which have numerous benefits. The farmers learn how to work with low input costs and gain a higher profit while adhering to sustainable practices.
*Photography by CRS Photo on Shutterstock
