世界经济论坛-在最后一英里扩大农业科技：为农民的繁荣汇聚力量（英）-2023.6-21页_13mb

Scaling Agritech at the Last Mile: Insights from Project Saagu Baagu in Telangana

Executive Summary

The report analyzes Project Saagu Baagu, a public-private partnership in Telangana, India, aimed at scaling agritech services to address challenges in agriculture. It highlights the need for transformation in Indian farming through technology to ensure food security and improve farmer incomes, with estimates suggesting the agritech market could reach $24.1 billion by 2025. The project, supported by the World Economic Forum, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and implemented by Digital Green, focuses on chilli farmers and demonstrates how data enablement, on-ground operations, domain knowledge, and convergence with government schemes can facilitate technology adoption.

Background

Indian agriculture relies heavily on smallholder farmers, who constitute 85% of landholdings and contribute 51% of production. Challenges include climate change, low yields, inefficient supply chains, and limited access to markets, leading to poor farmer returns. The agritech sector, leveraging AI, IoT, and blockchain, offers solutions for resilience and efficiency, but scaling requires a supportive ecosystem through PPPs.

Project Details: Saagu Baagu

Project Saagu Baagu (meaning "agricultural advancement") was launched in Khammam district to support chilli farmers. Key elements include:

• Theory of Change: Focuses on data sharing, farmer onboarding, and access to extension services.
• Approach: Uses a consortium model with partners like Digital Green, AgNext, KrishiTantra, and Kalgudi to deliver AI-based advisories, soil and quality testing, and e-commerce linkages.
• Outcomes: Impacted over 17,000 farmers, with increased yields, better prices, and cost savings. The project builds trust and demonstrates behavioral changes through validated tech.
• Challenges: Climate risks, high-input costs, and information asymmetry persist, requiring long-term investment and policy support.

Key Findings and Recommendations

The project showcases the effectiveness of PPPs in creating an inclusive and sustainable agritech ecosystem. Learnings emphasize the need for data infrastructure, domain expertise, and risk mitigation to scale technologies. Recommendations include formalizing agritechs through sandboxes and data exchanges, integrating with government schemes, and replicating the model across India.

Conclusion

Saagu Baagu serves as a blueprint for rural transformation, proving that targeted interventions can enhance farmer prosperity and agricultural efficiency. Future phases expand to other crops and districts, with potential for broader impact through policy and stakeholder collaboration.