Hyderabad: Agriculture is the backbone of every economy. While innovation in other sectors is contributing to improved productivity and quality, certain startups are disrupting the sector with new models that not only ensure higher productivity and quality but also make agriculture sustainable.
Hyderabad-based UrbanKisaan is bringing standardization into farming and agriculture to the urban landscape with its vertical farms, using automation and the internet of things to enhance efficiency, improving farmers’ income, and making sustainable farming possible.
The company uses a hydroponic farming technique that involves growing plants in water, and without soil. A closed-loop is created where the water runs and all the plants get water. Either the plant use water or the water gets evaporated. There is no water wastage anywhere. This makes it sustainable farming.
Vihari Kanukollu, co-founder and CEO, UrbanKisaan who was recently listed on Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia, told Telangana Today, “UrbanKisaan builds vertical farms in a sustainable way and helps upgrade farming with technology. The way Ola and Swiggy have disrupted the market, we want to disrupt the agriculture sector. Our farms in Hyderabad are made accessible to end-users. People can come to our pesticide-free farms and buy the fresh produce or they can order through Swiggy and other such platforms including its own site. We have 15 farms in Hyderabad (spread over two acres cumulatively), which are 30 times more productive than large size farms and use 95 percent less water.”
He added, “We also tie up with farmers who have greenhouses. We provide them the technology, provide training on our standard operating procedures, and give them our software. We monitor the activity remotely and take all the products and then we sell it through our urban farms. Not only those who have greenhouse farms but also those who want to go for small farms in their balconies, we can help such activity too.”
UrbanKisaan plans to scale its operations to about 80 farms in the next one year and serve 1-2 lakh orders daily. The company wants to foray into Bengaluru in addition to strengthening its operations in Hyderabad by then. It primarily wants to serve the B2C space but will also selectively cater to B2B space such as restaurants. The company grows fresh vegetables and leafy vegetables on its farms and delivers them to customers at their doors.
The startup uses its proprietary technology that helps in determining when to sow, what, and how to grow. The internet of things (IoT) helps with insights on temperature, humidity, pH (alkaline) level of water, and what nutrients are there. This makes it possible to cultivate with less water and labour. It is further researching on seeds, nutrients, lighting, the internet of things, and new software. It wants to cater to 60-80 percent needs of a consumer’s vegetable basket.
