With regards to agrifood, Indian farmers are at the heart and soul of the system. They work throughout the day and even overwork to produce crops for the entire nation.
Since most of our population is involved in agriculture in some way or the other, India is known as the ‘land of farmers’.
If you look at the agrifood industry closely, quite noticeable is the fact that a farmer who raises the crops, is first responsible for harvesting the soil, planting seeds and taking care of the property.
Do you know that only few farmers sell their produce in the open market. Most of them have contracts with processing food companies and organizations to process their harvest.
It is our duty to appreciate that crops for animal feed are also the responsibility of a farmer.
But the million-dollar question today is if agriculture features among the priorities of the government?
Our farmers at macro level vis-à-vis modern agriculture
Agriculture is a major contributor to the country’s GDP growth, and it is well known that Indian agriculture has been a symbol of both the Green and White revolutions.
But 80 per cent of the Indian farmers today are marginal (less than one hectare) or small farmers (one-two hectares).
According to Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 60 per cent of the Indian workforce is employed in the agricultural sector and contribute to about 17 per cent of the country’s GDP.
Isn’t it an irony that despite industrial tremendous growth, our farmers find it difficult to adopt mechanisms due to small holdings?
“Productivity remains a challenge, however, and poverty and malnutrition in rural areas remain high. Water shortages, a changing climate, and fragmented land holdings make it difficult for millions of smallholder farmers to feed their families, much less earn a profit from their labour,” says the Foundation.
Surely, capital is one of the crucial parts of increasing agricultural production. The availability of credit can allow farmers to work with ease.
India’s farmers are competing at a disadvantage
Restricted investment in the R&D industry has also affected the awareness level of the agriculture community, leading to diminished efficiency.
Because of lack of data and relevant information, farmers end up spending more, which makes it challenging for them.
At the same time, critical food-security schemes, inefficient food distribution, interrupted market supply chain, hygienic food packaging, efficient modern retail, and insufficient cold storage are the top issues that need to be addressed and worked immediately.
E-commerce & Agtech will transform Indian Agribusiness
Agriculture seems to be the most promising industry for the growing e-commerce sector due to high fragmentation in the supply chain.
An increasing number of agribusinesses are looking towards Internet as a marketing, management, service and coordination tool.
Dr. Pratapaditya Mishra, Visiting Professor, Utkal University, Odisha, says in a report that ‘Digitalization can change every part of the agri-food chain. It will function in real time in a hyper-connected way, driven by data.’
A collaborative effort by Namrata Dubashi, David Fiocco, Avinash Goyal, Ayush Gupta, Nitika Nathani, and Abhik Tandon, representing views from McKinsey’s Agriculture Practice, produced in an article on the McKindsey’s website, is titled: How agtech is poised to transform India into a farming powerhouse.
It says, technology is rapidly reshaping agriculture in India, creating investment opportunities, lifting up rural areas, and feeding the world.
“But there are significant problems holding back the nation’s untapped potential. If solved, a flourishing agriculture industry could both boost the economy and significantly improve farmer livelihoods and income. By 2030, agriculture could contribute around $600 billion to India’s GDP—an increase of 50 per cent over its contribution in 2020. But to get there, India must unlock growth and productivity for the sector,” the article says.
How can G Caffe Agrifood help the booming industry?
Realising this as a huge opportunity, G Caffe offers solutions for the agrifood tech. The company is helping in building platforms that connect consumers and farmers better. Their services allow consumers to come together and buy directly from farmers.
Apart from providing IT solutions for the agri-food industry, G Caffe also provides consulting services for startups who wish to start a new business or are looking to find partners for a joint venture.
G Caffe even helps companies who wish to establish their new setup and promote their products under ‘Make in India’.
A senior agrifood consultant at G Caffe, S. K. Gautam says, India is a huge country that offers great opportunities for the agri-food business. The Government has flexible rules and regulations in place for companies to come and invest in Indian agriculture. This will also generate considerable employment.
Describing G Caffe AgriFood services, Gautam says the company helps with planning, technicalities, markets, and expertise to set up or guide agriculture and food business.
According to him, G Caffe AgriFood is a go-to contact for providing the right place for all the market-related information not found anywhere else.
“Our information comes from industry experts who have extensive years of experience in the industry along with administration people who understand different rules and regulations,” Gautam adds.
As regards the queries that G Caffe AgriFood gets, Gautam says they are mainly focused on – (i) Incorporating strategies, innovations, technologies and funding mechanisms that can improve sustainable growth of the agrifood sector, (ii) Seeking consultations on facilitating agricultural food exports to India and expand their presence on this market, (iii) Indian agriculture’s susceptibility to extreme temperatures, droughts, floods, cyclones, and soil salinity, (iv) Sustaining agricultural productivity vis-à-vis quality and availability of natural resources like soil and water.
