Salam Kisan in collaboration with Farmers’ Producer Organizations (FPOs) launched a first-of-its-kind, drone-based spraying service on a rental basis for farmers in the Chandrapur district, Maharashtra. Sudhir Munagantiwar, Cabinet Minister for Forests, Cultural Affairs and Fisheries, Government of Maharashtra, unveiled the initiative during the Wild Vegetable Festival 2023 on August 15, 2023.

Through this initiative, Salam Kisan aims to equip farmers with cutting-edge technology that not only enhances their agricultural practices and promotes sustainable resource usage but also contributes to their economic well-being.

The initiative focuses on the following:

• Equip farmers with effective tech-enabled solutions
• Provide farmers with cutting-edge spraying capabilities for seamless pest management and precise use of agrochemicals
• It reduces water wastage by 85 - 90% and product usage by 20-30%, making strides toward sustainable agriculture.

FPOs will receive an assured incentive on each spraying order (acreage-wise). While reducing input costs for farmers, improving operational efficiency, and conserving valuable resources, this strategic initiative intends to provide FPOs with financial benefits and upliftment.

“At Salam Kisan, we're committed to empowering rural communities toward resilience and sustainability, and collaborations between public and private entities will be pivotal in implementing change at the grass-roots level. Our national agriculture policy aims to set up 10,000 new FPOs by 2025 with a focus on revamping agriculture value chains and catalyzing the growth of logistics in rural areas. Launching drone-based spraying service in collaboration with FPOs this Independence Day is a testament to our commitment to this vision," said Dhanashree Mandhani, Founder and CEO, Salam Kisan.

Akshay Khobragade, COO, Salam Kisan added, “Usually, traditional pump spraying uses 100 - 120 liters of water per acre, and drone spraying uses 10 liters per acre. Traditional spraying is time-consuming and requires manual labor, while drone spraying takes 7 minutes. By making drone service accessible to farmers, we are helping reduce input costs, increase efficiency, and ensure farmers' safety. At the core, we intend to benefit farmers, our agricultural ecosystem, and FPOs. We are delighted to receive appreciation from honorable minister Sudhir Bhai Munagantiwar for our vision.”

Salam Kisan's visionary approach extends to strategic collaborations with women-led and tribal-led FPOs. These partnerships empower women-led FPOs with the necessary knowledge, tools, and resources to flourish within the agricultural ecosystem.

By nurturing skill development, facilitating market access, and promoting value chain integration, Salam Kisan creates an enabling environment for these FPOs to excel and make significant contributions to the agricultural sector.

Salam Kisan

Salam Kisan is a rapidly growing data-driven agriculture ecosystem providing centralized solutions for stakeholders in the agriculture ecosystem. They equip farmers with a range of solutions from pre-sowing to post-harvest, from AI-enabled crop planning calendars, equipment rentals, drone rental services, storage facilities, and produce marketplace, among others.

Salam Kisan serves as a technology-powered, comprehensive agricultural platform, offering data-centric insights to bolster farmers' productivity and financial gains. With a vision of empowering rural communities, the platform aims to enhance resilience and sustainability.

Its mission involves revolutionizing agriculture by connecting the disjointed agricultural value chain through data-powered insights, artificial intelligence, and a full spectrum of products and services, thus propelling the sector toward a more integrated and progressive future.