SUMMARY
• The launch of application comes in line with the vision for a Digital India by PM Modi
• iMandi will be catering to over 55 Mn farmers
• The application will be promoting rural digital revolution
IFFCO has launched a social ecommerce application and web portal named “IFFCO iMandi” to serve and connect the farmers digitally.
The initiative is in line with PM Modi’s digital India initiative and aims to bring the benefits of digital technologies to every farmer and bring the digital revolution to rural India.
IFFCO iMandi will cater to over 55 Mn farmers and is claimed to have the potential to be India’s largest rural ecommerce platform. The aim of this application is to promote rural digital revolution.
According to V. K. Agarwal, Founder of iMandi Pte Ltd., through this Indian Cooperative Digital Platform, they will be able to bring about a large scale social transformation in every home, every village and will empower a billion lives through its digital inclusive technology
“IFFCO iMandi is a one stop shop for agri inputs and produce, FMCG, electronics, loans, insurance, etc. iMandi will address all needs of the farming community and aims to cater to a captive user base of 55 Mn farmers,” US Awasthi, Managing Director, IFFCO added.
K. Agarwal, Founder of iMandi Pte Ltd. said, “IFFCO and iMandi are certain that through this Indian Cooperative Digital Platform, they will be able to bring about a large scale social transformation in every home, every village and will empower a billion lives through its digital inclusive technology”.
About IFFCO iMandi
- The project will be implemented on an unparalleled reach and scale.
- iMandi will have access to IFFCO’s more than 55,000 point of sales, 36,000 cooperative societies, more than 30,000 warehouses and will have access to over 250 Mn rural consumers at 16K pin codes, thereby covering over a third of India.
- The application is available for download at Play Store, App Store for Android and iOS phones and is also accessible on the web. The application is also supported with communication, entertainment and information/advisory content to keep the farmers engaged.
IFFCO iMandi’s social and communication features will help allow different people from different regions to connect on a single platform. Users will be able to join forums based on different topics of interest and will be able to talk to subject-matter experts and get advice on various problems. Furthermore, users will also be able to share their success stories.
Additionally, farmers will be able to sell their products online at the best prices. It will also facilitate access to a variety of financial services like loans, insurance, etc.
In the future, the application will be launching a slew of social services which will allow users to enjoy the benefits of online education and skill building. Users can use it to find employment and receive primary healthcare services.
The agri inputs marketplace will allow farmers to purchase all IFFCO products, including fertilisers, agrochemicals, and seeds at a discounted price. Farmers will be getting a free delivery at their doorstep as well.
Farmers will be able to execute the transaction either through mobile app, web portal or call centre assistance by calling on Toll Free No. 1800 2000 344.
The application has been architectured in a unique manner which enables it as an inter-operable on both 2G+ feature phones and 3G+ smartphones.
Apart from Hindi and English, this app will be available in over 10 regional languages, to cater to every farmer in India. It is designed keeping in mind global standards, with a focus on rural Indian audiences.
iMandi can be used by farmers to stay in touch with friends and family through chat audio and video calls and by sharing pictures and video chatting on their feed. The communication feature on this application is end-to-end encrypted and the data is secured.
The option of watching entertaining videos and information related to weather, mandi prices and daily news will also be available. Apart from this, they can tune-in to their favourite local and national radio stations.
According to the Inc42 Agritech report 2017, agritech startups are addressing input challenges of agriculture in India from the very beginning. They are able to provide correct information, techniques, and efficiencies to farmers for both pre-harvest applications and post-harvest use cases.
