Chennai: IIT Madras has partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare to improve agricultural extension services through a digital platform called Project VISTAAR (Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural Resources). The project aims to make it easier for farmers to access advice, start-up innovations, and government schemes.
Agreement to Support Farmers with Start-up Innovations
Under a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), IIT Madras and the Agriculture Ministry will add information about agriculture-related start-ups to the VISTAAR platform. This will allow farmers to explore new technologies and solutions offered by these start-ups.
The platform, developed by IIT Madras’ Centre for Research on Startups and Risk Financing (CREST) and its start-up YNOS Venture Engine, already contains details of over 12,000 agricultural start-ups. By integrating this information, the government hopes to make its agricultural advisory services more effective and accessible.
Using Digital Tools for Better Outreach
The project will use digital technology to reach more farmers and provide them with timely advice on crop production, marketing, and supply chain management. Farmers will also get clear information about government schemes, helping them take full advantage of the available support.
Prof. Thillai Rajan A., Head of CREST, said, “Start-ups are playing a key role in bringing new ideas to agriculture. By connecting farmers with these innovations, we can help address their challenges and improve farming practices.”
Focus on Sustainability and Support
Samuel Praveen Kumar, Joint Secretary (Extension) at the Agriculture Ministry, said that linking farmers to start-up technologies will promote sustainable farming and make agriculture more climate-friendly. The VISTAAR platform will serve as a bridge between innovative solutions and farmers, ensuring these technologies reach the ground level.
By digitalizing extension services, the initiative aims to provide better support to farmers, helping them improve productivity and adapt to changing agricultural needs.
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