BENGALURU: The launch of an app that connects farmers directly to customers and a seed portal where ryots and home-gardening enthusiasts can purchase a variety of seeds that will be delivered at their doorstep are the highlights of the National Horticulture Fair-2021. The five-day event that kicked off on Monday is being held at the Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR) campus in Hesaraghatta.
The conventionally on-field event has a strong online presence this year, mainly due to the pandemic situation. Crowds have been restricted at the mela this time, where a variety of horticulture crops and cultivation techniques have been showcased mainly for farmers.
Agriculture scientists of IIHR have focused on online platforms to help farmers: They have come up with the Arka Vayapar app, designed to connect farmers with customers or sellers without the involvement of middlemen.
CK Narayana, principal scientist at IIHR and officer in-charge of Arka Vayapar app, said: “It is packed with data, including market trends, export information on crops, figures from the horticulture board and inputs from farmers dealing with large quantities of yield in various crop segments like fruits, vegetables and flowers. A farmer will be able to assess the trends and reach out to the right buyer as the platform also provides an interactive space where a customer or buyer can be contacted.”
The app only has an English version at the moment; the option of including local languages is being worked on by IIHR’s IT team.
Seed portal
An equivalent of an e-commerce portal for seeds, the SBI Krishi Yono is where high-yielding seeds including that of flowers, fruits, vegetables and medicinal crops, can be purchased.
An initiative by IIHR, the sale is available through portals and also through an app where customers can purchase a packet for Rs 30 or opt for bulk orders. Over 70 lakh seeds have already been sold through the portal; the highest being tomato varieties home-delivered to places as far as Arunachal Pradesh to Kashmir.