This comprehensive study examines the critical, real-world challenges faced by small and marginal farmers across diverse regions of India, including market exploitation, climate uncertainty, and inaccessibility of modern resources. The research proposes an integrated digital framework—the basis for the KhetiAI application—to systematically mitigate these issues by focusing on three pillars: AI-driven agronomic advice, transparent e-marketplaces, and mandatory local-language accessibility, aiming for digital and economic empowerment.
This research identified three primary areas where technology can offer the most immediate and profound impact, directly influencing the architecture of the KhetiAI platform.
Small farmers often cannot afford expensive equipment like tractors and specialized planters, leading to reliance on outdated or inefficient manual methods. A digital solution is required to facilitate resource sharing.
The traditional supply chain creates opacity, resulting in farmers receiving minimal compensation while end-consumer prices soar. A lack of real-time market data leaves farmers vulnerable to price manipulation.
Even the best technological solutions fail if they cannot be easily used by the target demographic, particularly farmers with low literacy rates or those who only speak regional languages.
The core challenges facing farmers—from market exploitation to climate uncertainty—can be systematically mitigated through an integrated digital framework. By combining AI-driven agronomic advice with transparent e-marketplaces and ensuring local-language accessibility, technology can stabilize farm incomes, increase sustainable yields, and usher in an era of digital empowerment for the agricultural sector.