DeHaat: Empowering Farmers, Transforming Agriculture
Imagine Ram, a farmer in rural India, struggling to find quality seeds, weather forecasts, and expert advice. Low harvests and income were his reality. DeHaat, on the cusp of becoming India's first agritech unicorn, changed Ram’s story. They're empowering 20 lakh+ farmers like him, with an average income increase of 30%. DeHaat blends technology with on-ground support, overcoming challenges like limited smartphone use and fragmented networks. We cover their innovative solutions, from phone consultations to a "Crop Doctor" app; how they built trust with local "DeHaat Centers" run by micro-entrepreneurs; their impressive growth: USD 222M raised, 6 companies acquired, and INR 1997 crore revenue. DeHaat's story is proof: technology and human connection can revolutionize agriculture.
By
John Doe
Published on
December 5, 2023
Let’s start with a story.
Ram, a smallholder farmer in rural Madhya Pradesh, used to face a constant struggle. Getting quality seeds, reliable weather forecasts, and expert advice was a challenge. This often led to unpredictable harvests and low income.
DeHaat stepped in to change that story, and is on the cusp of becoming India’s first agritech unicorn. Through their unique blend of technology and on-ground support, they've empowered Ram and over 20 lakh farmers like him, generating an average income increase of 30%.
A quick look at their journey
Key Problems: Fragmented agricultural on-ground networks, low smartphone adoption, and limited access to essential data like seed information, crop health, weather forecasts, machinery demos, and farm product procurement.
Given these complexities of the market segment, the odds were stacked against agricultural innovation.
Genesis: Founded as FarmsNFarmers in 2010, the team, comprising IIT and IIM alumni, astutely identified gaps in institutional buyers' procurement and the on-ground struggles of small farmers, leading to the inception of DeHaat in 2012.
The key ingredient: Facing limited smartphone adoption, DeHaat began taking orders through phone calls. Subsequently, telephonic consultations were introduced, delivering personalized advisory services to tackle crop-related queries and provide tailored solutions for specific farming scenarios.
Establishing local DeHaat Centers under a franchise model managed by micro-entrepreneurs fostered trust and supported farmers – addressing queries, facilitating orders, and creating local job opportunities. Nodal offices in various zones provided operational and technical support to micro-entrepreneurs, each serving up to 25 centers.
Digitization: Overcoming smartphone challenges, DeHaat transitioned farmers to digital platforms, utilizing AEROS, their data platform for precise, scalable advisory services.
Their app now offers a 'Crop Doctor' for crop disease solutions, satellite monitoring, a vibrant 'Krishi Manch' community for farmers, weather forecasts, & seamless online purchases – a comprehensive 360° service for farmers.
Growth Trajectory: DeHaat has raised $222M across 11 funding rounds. In their latest Series E round (2022), they secured $60M. They acquired six companies, entering the fruits and vegetables export sector, beginning with Field Fresh in May 2022. In FY23, DeHaat reported revenue of Rs 1,997 crore.
Intricately weaving technology, localized support strategies, and data-driven solutions helped DeHaat in navigating the challenges of its uniquely demanding and challenging customer segment.
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