SIH 25010: Smart Crop Advisory System for Small and Marginal Farmers
A majority of small and marginal farmers in India rely on traditional knowledge, local shopkeepers, or guesswork for crop selection, pest control, and fertilizer use. They lack access to personalized, real-time advisory services that account for soil type, weather conditions, and crop history. This often leads to poor yield, excessive input costs, and environmental degradation due to overuse of chemicals. Language barriers, low digital literacy, and absence of localized tools further limit their access to modern agri-tech resources.
Impact / Why this problem needs to be solved
Helping small farmers make informed decisions can significantly increase productivity, reduce costs, and improve livelihoods. It also contributes to sustainable farming practices, food security, and environmental conservation. A smart advisory solution can empower farmers with scientific insights in their native language and reduce dependency on unreliable third-party advice.
Expected Outcomes
• A multilingual, AI-based mobile app or chatbot that provides real-time, location-specific crop advisory. • Soil health recommendations and fertilizer guidance. • Weather-based alerts and predictive insights. • Pest/disease detection via image uploads. • Market price tracking. • Voice support for low-literate users. • Feedback and usage data collection for continuous improvement.
Relevant Stakeholders / Beneficiaries
• Small and marginal farmers • Agricultural extension officers • Government agriculture departments • NGOs and cooperatives • Agri-tech startups
Supporting Data
• 86% of Indian farmers are small or marginal (NABARD Report, 2022). • Studies show ICT-based advisories can increase crop yield by 20–30%.
Government of Punjab
Agriculture, FoodTech & Rural Development
- Detailed explanation of the proposed solution
- How it addresses the problem
- Innovation and uniqueness of the solution
- Technologies to be used (e.g. programming languages, frameworks, hardware)
- Methodology and process for implementation (Flow Charts/Images/ working prototype)
- Analysis of the feasibility of the idea
- Potential challenges and risks
- Strategies for overcoming these challenges
- Potential impact on the target audience
- Benefits of the solution (social, economic, environmental, etc.)
- Details / Links of the reference and research work