Seeds of Smart Farming

Agriculture continues to be a crucial pillar of India’s economy, supporting millions of people and employing more than half of the country’s workforce. The sector contributes approximately 16 per cent to India’s GDP, underscoring its significance for national growth.

Recognising the potential for growth and improvement in this field, the Government of India has proactively introduced several innovation-led interventions. Digital technologies are finding increasing use in the agricultural value system, and farmers are increasingly becoming more informed, as various measures are taken to provide them with ready access to technology and information.

STPI has set up FASAL (Fostering Agritech Startups and Leveraging Innovation) CoE for Agritech in agriculture within the Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV) campus in Akola, Maharashtra. Spread across 10,000 square feet, this state-of-the-art facility houses cutting-edge labs focused on Digital Farming, Agri-Internet of Things (IoT), Predictive Analytics, and Hydroponic Vertical Farming. With 24/7 operations, high-speed internet, and a 40-seater incubation centre, FASAL provides an ideal ecosystem for innovation.

FASAL’s uniqueness lies in its collaborative model. It partners with key institutions like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) -Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Krishi Vigyan Kendra Akola, the Agriculture Insurance Company of India, and several private tech companies. FASAL supports early-stage startups with up to Rs 10 lakh in seed funding, access to advanced prototyping labs, domain-specific mentorship, IPR assistance, business development training, and investor connections.

So far, FASAL has incubated 28 promising startups and helped create 44 prototypes and 52 market-ready products. These ventures have earned combined revenues of Rs 10.86 crore. FASAL has enabled over Rs 8.22 crore in funding, facilitated 200+ mentoring sessions, and hosted more than 50 outreach events, showcasing its deep engagement with the broader ecosystem.

FASAL’s startups are already making a meaningful impact on the ground. Niyo Farmtech has designed solar and manual sprayers that are lightweight and easy for women to use, improving productivity and reducing physical strain.

DigiCrop Agriculture Solutions has developed AiKi, a smart farming platform powered by IoT and Artificial Intelligence (AI). It helps farmers monitor their fields in real-time, schedule irrigation, and receive early warnings about pests. Successful pilots with ICAR-IARI and PDKV prove that data-driven agriculture is no longer a distant dream.

Meanwhile, OMPRI Buildcon’s GRAMePAY platform is promoting digital and financial inclusion across smaller towns. By providing access to UPI payments and banking services, it’s helping local merchants go digital, while earning accolades from institutions like Cornell and Stanford Seed Spark.

AgroSonic Solutions is supporting livestock farmers in arid regions through platforms like GoatMate and GoatDiary. These tools help farmers track breeding, feeding, and vaccinations, leading to healthier herds and higher incomes.

Then there’s AI-GENIX International, which has developed a revolutionary pest control system using insect communication. With support from global agribusinesses, it’s offering a non-toxic, AI-powered alternative to chemical pesticides, benefiting both farmers and the environment.

According to an EY report, Agritech firms in India present a USD 24 billion opportunity, although the market remains largely untapped, with only 1.5 per cent penetration. FASAL is working to bridge this gap by linking startups with Farmer-Producer Organisations (FPOs), state agriculture departments, and private sector players. It focuses on building trust, awareness, and rural connectivity to ensure solutions are relevant and scalable.

As India moves towards agricultural self-reliance, FASAL is playing a pivotal role in transforming the sector from the ground up. It is not just nurturing startups, it’s nurturing a vision of sustainability, inclusion and innovation that touches the lives of farmers in even the most remote corners of the country. FASAL is planting the seeds of a smarter agricultural future, one idea, one farmer, one harvest at a time.

Views expressed are personal. The writer is the Director General, Software Technology Parks of India