Agritech for Women Farmers 2024

How agritech impacts agricultural systems FIGURE 1 Inclusivity Agritech has the potential to derisk businesses and impr ove the economics of serving traditionally marginalized communities including smallholder farmers, hence making supply chains mor e inclusive. Sustainability Certain agritech solutions enable farmers to optimize the use of natural r esour ces such as water and soil, while also optimizing the use of chemical inputs. Agritech also enables easier monitoring of food-r elated defor estation making supply chains mor e sustainable. Efficiency By transitioning to data driven planning of pr oduction, agritech has the potential to r educe both food loss and food waste. Additionally , it enables businesses to make their supply chains mor e efficient and r esilient. Source: World Economic Forum At a farm level, these technologies can improve yields, optimize the cost of cultivation, reduce food loss, improve unit-sales realization, build climate resilience and help farmers increase their income. For instance, the World Economic Forum-supported programme, Saagu Baagu, implemented by the Government of Telangana, India, demonstrated that when chilli farmers were supported with digital technologies, they reported a 21% increase in chilli yields per acre, a 9% reduction in pesticide use, a 5% decrease in fertilizer use and an 8% improvement in unit prices. This led to $800 income enhancement per acre per cycle.13 Further, at a macro level, research demonstrates that if the foundation for digital agricultural technologies is well laid, it could increase the agricultural gross domestic product (GDP) of low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) by $500 billion or close to 28%.14 Agritech for Women Farmers: A Business Case for Inclusive Growth 6