Using Digital Platforms to Scale Technology Adoption

Photo credit: M. DeFreese/CIMMYT 

Background

ADMI has identified many technologies to dramatically improve storage by smallholder farmers, including hermetic bags, which can eliminate mycotoxin infestation and pest damage in Indian settings, but these technologies have so far not been widely diffused in the input supply system. In the face of longstanding challenges in getting technologies to farmers, the COVID-19 lockdowns have triggered increased uptake of digital mobile platforms that connect farmers to resources. 

Project Information

Grow Indigo is a commercial entity in India that recently launched two digital platforms, Grow Online and Grow Mandi, to enable better connection between input providers, retailers, farmers and buyers of agricultural production. Both platforms offer an offline support option for farmers with limited smartphone accessibility or literacy. 

ADMI is partnering with Grow Indigo to enable last-mile adoption of better postharvest management technologies by farmers in different regions in India through their Grow Online digital platform. 

The project focuses on three objectives targeting retailers and farmers:   

1. Connect postharvest technology manufacturers to retailers and farmers with Grow Indigo’s online retail platform 
2. Develop and disseminate ICT-based postharvest educational and advisory content for retailers and farmers through Grow Indigo’s platforms 
3. Test postharvest educational content and marketing models for technology scaling 

Executing this work will leverage the capacities of the Grow Indigo Corporation in IT and marketing, the educational and outreach expertise of the Subsistence Marketplaces Initiative led by Dr. Madhu Viswanathan and the analytical capacities of University of Illinois economics researchers Dr. Kathy Baylis and Dr. Hope Michelson. 

Project Progress

This project is ongoing.