A session on "Digitalization of Agriculture" at Entrepreneurship Conclave organized by Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.

1. RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY, DIGITIZATION
BIG DATA, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE & MACHINE LEARNING,
BLOCKCHAIN, INTERNET OF THINGS, CLOUD COMPUTING
DIGITALIZING THE
AGRICULTURE

2. ABOUT ME– DEEPAK PAREEK
• A published author of 7 books on various technology and
business subjects.
• World Economic Forum honored Technology Pioneer
2018 and Expert – Digital Transformation.
• Amongst top 100 Social Entrepreneur listed by National
University of Singapore and DBS Foundation.
• Regular speaker of global repute with honor of speaking at
events of high repute including World Economic Forum
Annual Meeting – Davos, World Economic Forum ASEAN
- Hanoi, World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of
Champions (Mini-Davos) – Tianjin, ASEAN Marketing
Forum – Jakarta, Geospatial World Forum – Hyderabad,
Sustainable Food Systems – Bangkok, Better Rice
Initiative – Vietnam, NGTech - Salt Lake City, ITU
Americas – Brazil.

3. AGRICULTURE, INDIAN CONTEXT

4. TOTAL OPERATIONAL HOLDINGS IN INDIA (%)

5. OPERATIONAL HOLDINGS IN INDIA (HA)

6. AREA UNDER IRRIGATION (%)

7. INDEBTEDNESS OF OUR FARMERS

8. IS MSP MODEL SUSTAINABLE???

9. IS OUR AGRICULTURE SUSTAINABLE???

10. AGRICULTURE, A STORY OF TWO WORLDS

11. PRE GREEN REVOLUTION – BEFORE 1960
INPUTS
SEEDS
ANIMAL WASTE
FARM WASTE
WATER
HUMAN LABOR
ACTIVITIES
MANUAL
CLEANING
RESOURCES
GUNNY BAGS
SILOS
REACH
PERISHABLES –
DOMESTIC/LOCAL
NON PERISHABLES –
LOCAL/DOMESTIC/EX
PORTS

12. POST GREEN REVOLUTION
INPUTS
SEEDS
FERTILIZERS
CROP PROTECTION
MECHANIZATION
ACTIVITIES
DRYING
CLEANING
SORTING
AGGREGATION
CONVERSION
RESOURCES
TREATED GUNNY
/POLYTHENE BAGS
SILOS
CHEMICAL
TREATMENT
COLD STORAGE &
TRANSPORTATION
REACH
PERISHABLES –
GLOBAL
NON PERISHABLES –
GLOBAL

13. CURRENT STATUS, THE IMPERFECT WORLD
TODAY HUMAN CIVILIZATION IS
AT THE CROSS ROADS PLAGUED
BY THREE MAJOR CHALLENGES
FOOD
SECURITY
CLIMATE
CHANGE
AGRARIAN
DISTRESS

14. FOOD SECURITY
WITH 0.8 BILLION PEOPLE ALREADY
HUNGRY WHILE 2 BILLION MORE WILL BE
ADDED BY 2050 AND ANOTHER 2 BILLION
BY 2100,
WRITING IS ALREADY ON THE WALL

15. CLIMATE CHANGE
DEFORESTATION DUE TO UNSUSTAINABLE
FARMING IS CONSIDERED TO BE KEY DRIVER
BEHIND WORLD BECOMING LESS HABITABLE
WE ARE PASSING OUR NEXT
GENERATION FAR WORST THEN
WHAT WE INHERITED

16. AGRARIAN DISTRESS
SMALLHOLDER FARMERS ARE IN
ENORMOUS DISTRESS DUE TO UNVIABLE
OPERATIONS, LOW YIELD, UNSUSTAINABLE
FARMING
TODAY MOST FARMERS DON’T
WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO
CONTINUE FARMING

17. WE CAN TACKLE THESE
CHALLENGES
BY PRODUCING MORE FOOD WITH LESS
LAND, LIMITED WATER AND FEWER
RESOURCES HENCE MAKING FARMING
PROFITABLE FOR SMALL HOLDER
FARMERS

18. 1.8 BILLION SMALLHOLDER FARMERS ARE KEY TO FOOD
SECURITY AS A LARGEST CULTIVATORS OF FOOD CROP, THEY
MANAGE 500 MILLION FARMS
BUT SMALLHOLDER FARMERS ARE IN
ENORMOUS DISTRESS
BECAUSE OF
INSIGHT
VACUUM
INCREASING COST
OF CULTIVATION
HIGH RISK &
ACCESS TO
FINANCE
LOW
REALIZATION
FROM SALES

19. FARMERS
(LACK
OF..)
ACCESS TO
RESOURCES
RELEVANT
CUSTOMIZE
D
INFORMATI
ON
ACTIONABL
E INSIGHTS
TO ASSIST
DECISION
MAKING
REAL-TIME
INTERVENT
ION &
SUPPORT
PROFIT
ENHANCEM
ENT & RISK
MITIGATIO
N TOOLS
SAY IN
THERE OWN
FUTURE
ECOSYSTEM
PLAYERS
(LACK
OF..)
ACCURATE
FARM &
FARMER
DATA
LAST MILE
ACCESS TO
FARMERS
REAL-TIME
DATA OF
FARMER
ACTIVITIES
MEANINGF
UL
INFORMATI
ON
DISSEMINA
TION
FARMING
AUTOMATI
ON &
MECHANIZ
ATION
INTELLIGE
NT
INSIGHTS
FROM
COMPLEX
DATA
GAPS - IN DEVELOPING ECONOMIES

20. APOCALYPSE TO RE-WRITING THE FUTURE
DATA DRIVEN
INSIGHTFUL
SCALABLE
HOLISTIC
DISTRIBUTED
SELF-LEARNING
TRANSPARENT
REAL-TIME
COLLABORATIVE
PROFITABLE
WE NEED, A TRULY SUSTAINABLE
AGRIFOOD SYSTEM

21. CHALLENGES
AGRICULTURAL DISPARITY – LOCAL CONTEXT
FARMING SETUP – SIZE MATTERS
PERSONALIZATION VITAL - INDIVIDUAL, ADAPTABLE, CONTEXTUAL
MANY STAKEHOLDERS – DIVERSIFIED INTERESTS
DEMANDING CUSTOMERS – DIFFERENT NEEDS AND INCREASED AWARENESS
INFRASTRUCTURE BOTTLENECKS – BOTH DIGITAL & PHYSICAL

22. GOING FORWARD – FUTURE OF FOOD PRODUCTION

23. SMART FARMS – FUTURE OF FARMING

24. BREAKING THE ICE – DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

25. • IS THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIETAL EFFECTS OF DIGITIZATION AND
DIGITALIZATION.DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
• IS THE CONVERSION OF ANALOGUE DATA AND PROCESSES INTO A
MACHINE READABLE FORMAT.DIGITIZATION
• IS THE USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AND DATA AS WELL AS
INTERCONNECTION THAT RESULTS IN NEW OR CHANGES TO
EXISTING ACTIVITIES.
DIGITALIZATION
• ARE ICT, INCLUDING THE INTERNET, MOBILE, DEVICES, AND
DATA ANALYTICS USED TO IMPROVE THE GENERATION,
COLLECTION, EXCHANGE, AGGREGATION, ANALYSIS, ACCESS,
SEARCHABILITY AND PRESENTATION OF DIGITAL CONTENT.
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION – DEFINITION
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION HAS BEEN A STRONG THEME IN BOTH BUSINESS AND IT OVER THE PAST FIVE
YEARS AND OFTEN IS A TERM MISTAKENLY USED FOR ALMOST ANY KIND OF NEW TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION.

26. DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION – ENABLERS

27. DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION – AGRICULTURE
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN
AGRICULTURE IS NOT JUST ABOUT
TECHNOLOGY. WHILE SURELY IT IS
ENABLED BY TECHNOLOGY BUT THE
UNDERLYING FACT IS THAT IT
IMPACTS EVERY FUNCTION IN THE
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEM AND
NEEDS AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH
WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE
BOUNDARY OF BOTH ECOSYSTEM AS
WELL AS ORGANIZATIONS
PARTICIPATING IN THE ECOSYSTEM
TO YIELD ENVISIONED BENEFITS

28. DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION –
HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR
AGRICULTURE SECTOR
THE DIGITIZED 21ST CENTURY
FARM IS BECOMING A REALITY AT
A RAPID PACE, THE $12 TRILLION
AGRIBUSINESS INDUSTRY
REMAINS IN INITIAL PHASE OF
ITS DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION.
THE NEXT PHASE WILL CONNECT
INDIVIDUAL TECHNOLOGY
PRODUCTS AND THE DATA THEY
GENERATE INTO A HIGHLY
INTEGRATED, EASY TO USE
NETWORK OF INFORMATION,
TOOLS, SYSTEMS AND SOLUTIONS
TO GENERATE BETTER TANGIBLE
RESULTS FOR THE FARMER, AS
WELL AS FOR THE BROADER
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEM.
INDUSTRY LEADERS ACROSS THE
AGRICULTURE VALUE CHAIN ARE
FORMING COMPREHENSIVE
DIGITAL STRATEGIES TO WIN
MIND SHARE, AND WALLET
SHARE, OF BOTH THE FOOD
GROWERS AND FOOD
CONSUMERS. THESE STRATEGIES
NEED TO DELIVER THE HOLISTIC,
OUTCOME-BASED SOLUTIONS
THAT OUR GLOBAL FOOD SYSTEM
NEED.

29. TECHNOLOGY MEGATRENDS

30. DIGITIZATION THE WAY FORWARD
THE IMMENSE AMOUNTS OF AGRONOMIC DATA
OFFER INSIGHT, UNDERSTANDING, AND QUICK
LEARNINGS. DIGITAL FARMING IS PARTICULARLY
REVOLUTIONARY FOR SMALLHOLDERS AS IT HAS
THE POTENTIAL TO REMOVE THE CURRENT
INFORMATION ASYMMETRY.
TO BENEFIT FROM THE NEW DIGITAL FARMING
FRAMEWORK, CERTAIN KEYWORDS ARE ALWAYS
APPLICABLE: LOCAL, RELEVANT, AND PERSONAL.
NEW TECHNOLOGIES CAN ALIGN WITH THIS
FRAMEWORK. CONNECTING LARGE-SCALE
COMPANIES (BOTH INPUT AND OUTPUT) WITH
LOCAL FARMERS WILL BE MADE POSSIBLE WITH
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES. HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO
TRULY FACILITATE DIGITAL FARMING, THE
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION THAT MUST ALWAYS BE
ADDRESSED IS “WHY?”

31. TECHNOLOGY
MEGATRENDS
SHAPING
FUTURE OF
FOOD &
AGRICULTURE
SECTOR
DIGITIZATION
BIG DATA
BLOCKCHAIN
AI & ML

32. ALL TYPES OF
ORGANIZATIONS
ARE GETTING
IMPACTED
DIFFERENTLY,
DEPENDING ON
THEIR EXPOSURE
ANCILLARY
SERVICES
• BANKS
• MICRO FINANCE
• INSURANCE
• LOGISTICS
• NGOS
• EXTENSION
• ACADEMICS
• GOVERNMENT
• CERTIFICATION
• WEATHER &
METEOROLOGY
FOOD
• AGGREGATORS
• COMMODITY
TRADERS
• FOOD
PROCESSORS
• INTERMEDIARIES
• RETAILERS
• FOOD SAFETY
• FOOD PACKAGING
AGRICULTURE
INPUT
• SEEDS
• CROP NUTRIENTS
• CROP
PROTECTION
• FARM
CONSUMABLES
• FARM
MECHANIZATION

33. BIG DATA, DATA DRIVEN DECISIONS

34. UNDERSTANDING BIG DATA
PETABYTES, EXABYTES, ZETABYTES OF DATA
WHERE VOLUMES TOO GREAT FOR TYPICAL DBMS
MASSIVE SETS OF UNSTRUCTURED/SEMI-
STRUCTURED DATA I.E. TEXT, IMAGES, VIDEOS
RAPID GENERATION OF TIME SERIES DATA I.E.
PROCESS MONITORING DATA, WEATHER STREAM,
SENSOR I/O, SATELLITE IMAGES
VELOCITY
VOLUME

35. UNDERSTANDING BIG DATA – 5VS
VELOCITY VALUE
VERACITY VARIETY
VOLUME

36. BIG DATA IS A BIG OPPORTUNITY
BIG DATA IS A BIG DEAL. MORE THAN HALF OF
ENTERPRISES GLOBALLY VIEW BIG DATA AS AN
OPPORTUNITY AND PLAN TO INCREASE THEIR
INVESTMENTS IN BIG DATA IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
BUT BIG DATA’S VALUE DOESN’T COME FROM THE
COLLECTION OF INFORMATION; THAT’S JUST THE
STARTING POINT. THE REAL VALUE OF BIG DATA COMES
FROM YOUR ABILITY TO COMBINE AND ANALYZE IT – NO
MATTER HOW MUCH YOU HAVE, IN ANY NUMBER OF
SOURCES – TO UNCOVER NEW INSIGHTS THAT DRIVE
BUSINESS VALUE.
BIG DATA MAY MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT
BUSINESSES – WHETHER IT’S DEALING WITH NEW TYPES
OF DATA, STREAMING, OR CONSOLIDATING EXISTING
DATA THAT’S TOO LARGE TO FIT ON TRADITIONAL
SYSTEMS. BUT NO MATTER HOW YOU DEFINE BIG DATA,
THE CHALLENGE AND THE GOAL ARE THE SAME FOR
EVERY BUSINESS: GETTING THE MOST VALUE OUT OF IT.

37. DATA DELUGE ENABLING PRECISION AGRICULTURE
PRECISION AGRICULTURE
DEMONSTRATES THAT IT IS
POSSIBLE TO GENERATE A LOT OF
DATA VIA FARMING MACHINERY
AND COMBINE IT WITH
GEOSYSTEMS, DRONES, SENSORS
AND SATELLITES, MAKING IT
POSSIBLE TO SUPPORT
OPERATIONAL FARMING WITH
LOCATION-SPECIFIC DATA TAGS.
SMART FARM EQUIPMENT ALONG
WITH BIG
DATA ANALYTICS WILL ENABLE
INSIGHTS AND OPTIMIZATION ON
THE FIELD.

38. DATA DRIVEN DECISION MAKING – ANALYTICAL MODELS
PRESCRIPTIVE
ANALYTICS
PREDICTIVE
ANALYTICS
DIAGNOSTIC
ANALYTICS
WHAT
HAPPENED?
WHAT WILL
HAPPEN?
HOW CAN WE
MAKE IT HAPPEN?
WHY DID IT
HAPPEN?
DESCRIPTIVE
ANALYTICS
VALUE
DIFFICULTY

39. BIG DATA – BUSINESS CASES
SUPPLY CHAIN OPTIMIZATION – FARM TO FORK
FARM OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
SALES EXCELLENCE FOR AGRICULTURE INPUT COMPANIES
REAL TIME FARMER CREDIT RATING
AGRICULTURE ONLINE MARKETPLACES – OUTPUT AND INPUT

40. AI & ML, ACHIEVING WHERE HUMANS FAILED

41. LEVELS OF INTELLIGENCE

42. MACHINES BECOMING MORE HUMAN THEN HUMAN

43. MACHINES LEARNING MODELS

44. AI & ML BUSINESS CASES - AGRICULTURE
• CROP HEALTH MONITORING USING DEEP LEARNING ALGORITHMS BASED ON REAL-TIME DATA FROM
SENSORS, SATELLITE/DRONE IMAGES, ON GROUND FARMING PRACTICES AND GROUND TRUTHING
TECHNIQUES.CROP MONITORING
• ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS (ANN) TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL DEFECTS BOTH IN SOIL AND PLANTS. IMAGE
PROCESSING ALGORITHMS ALONG WITH HISTORIC/CURRENT LOCAL PEST, SOIL, WEATHER AND ACTIVITY DATA
IS USED FOR TRAINING ANN.
PEST & SOIL DEFECT
DETECTION
• MACHINE LEARNING TECHNIQUES ARE USED TO CARE FOR PLANTS BY DEPLOYING UAVS & UAGS INCLUDING
AUTOMATED APPLICATION OF PESTICIDES AND PLANT NUTRIENTS, ELIMINATION OF WEEDS, IRRIGATION.FARM AUTOMATION
• AI ALGORITHMS ARE USED FOR PREDICTION OF YIELD, CROP QUALITY, INPUT SIDE DEMANDS, OUTPUT
AGGREGATION NEEDS LEADING TO OPTIMIZATION OF SUPPLY CHAIN (INPUT & OUTPUT), POLICY
INTERVENTION ETC.
PREDICTIVE
ANALYTICS
• FARMING ACTIVITY RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDING CROP/VARIETY SELECTION, CROP
NUTRIENT/PROTECTION AND SOWING/IRRIGATION/HARVEST TIMING BASED ON DEMOGRAPHIC,
AGRICULTURE AND MARKET PROFILES.
RECOMMENDATION
ENGINE

45. BLOCKCHAIN, MAKING AGRICULTURE
TRANSPARENT AND FAIR

46. BLOCKCHAIN IS NOT BITCOIN
BUT ITS ORIGINS LIE IN BITCOIN, MAKING IT A 10 YEAR OLD TESTED TECHNOLOGY.
BITCOIN WAS DEVELOPED AS CRYPTOCURRENCY - A TECHNOLOGICAL ALTERNATIVE TO FIAT CURRENCIES
(DOLLAR, EURO, POUND).AN ANONYMOUS “BANK OF THE INTERNET”.
FINITE NUMBER OF BITCOINS SUPPOSEDLY PROVIDES GOLD-STANDARD TYPE GUARANTEE AGAINST INFLATION.
BITCOIN DEPENDS ON THE BITCOIN BLOCKCHAIN TO FUNCTION AND ALL BITCOIN TRANSACTIONS ARE
RECORDED ON THE BITCOIN BLOCKCHAIN.
THE BLOCKCHAIN IS THE INFRASTRUCTURE UPON WHICH BITCOIN RESTS, EVERY 10 MIN A NEW BLOCK IS ADD
BY “MINERS” (WHO CONSUME HUGE AMOUNTS OF ENERGY).

47. BLOCKCHAIN, A DISTRIBUTED LEDGER TECHNOLOGY
A BLOCKCHAIN IS SIMPLY
DATABASE BUT
• DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE NETWORK
(INTERNET) - EVERYONE HAS A COPY
• AUTO-SYNCED - EVERY COPY IS THE
SAME ALMOST INSTANTLY
• ENCRYPTED - ALL BLOCKS ARE
ENCRYPTED WITH PRIVATE KEYS
• IMMUTABLE - NO TRANSACTION CAN
BE DELETED
• COMMONLY OPEN AND PUBLIC -
EVERYONE (AUTHORISED) CAN ADD
• CONSENSUS BASED - ENSURES ONLY
ONE VERSION OF THE TRUTH

48. HISTORY OF BIGGEST DISRUPTION AFTER INTERNET
ON OCTOBER 31, 2008, SATOSHI NAKAMOTO RELEASED THE BITCOIN WHITE PAPER OUTLINING A PURELY
PEER TO PEER ELECTRONIC CASH/DIGITAL ASSET TRANSFER SYSTEM. THIS IS THE FIRST POPULAR
IMPLEMENTATION OF BLOCKCHAIN AND IS ATTRIBUTED AS BIRTHING TODAY’S BLOCKCHAIN INDUSTRY.
SINCE THEN, ADDITIONAL BLOCKCHAINS HAVE BEEN POPULARIZED INCLUDING SMART CONTRACT
TECHNOLOGY, ETHEREUM.

49. UNDERSTANDING WHERE TO BLOCKCHAIN

50. BLOCKCHAIN AGRI USECASES
AGRI-INPUT
E-COMMERCE
• OPTIMIZED
ECONOMICAL
DELIVERY OF
RELEVANT
AGRICULTURE
INPUTS AT FAIR
PRICE.
FARM
CREDIT
• EMPOWERING
FARMERS BY
MAKING LOW
COST FINANCE
REACH IN MOST
OPTIMAL
MANNER IN
ENVIRONMENT
OF TRUST.
PROFITABLE
REALIZATION
• TRANSPARENT
OUTPUT SALES
ENSURE
FARMERS GET
WHAT THEY
DESERVE.
FOOD
SAFETY
• ENSURING THE
FOOD TO PLATE
IS GROWN
SUSTAINABLY.

51. THE HOLISTIC DIGITAL VISION

52. WE LEVERAGE DIGITAL

53. A HOLISTIC
SOLUTION FOR
EVERY
STAKEHOLDER IN
AGRICULTURE
ECOSYSTEM

54. OUR
TECH-STACK

55. OUR TECH-ARCHITECTURE

56. DIGITAL
INNOVATION
STRATEGY
FUTURE
BUSINESS
MODEL
TECHNOLOGY
CONSOLIDATION
MARGIN
MANAGEMENT
SUPPLY CHAIN
OPTIMIZATION
REGULATION
& RISK
MANAGEMENT
SUSTAINABILITY
& SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY
HUMAN
CAPITAL
ENHANCEMENT
WE ASSESS YOUR
INNOVATION
READINESS AND
BUILD A CUSTOMIZED
INNOVATION
STRATEGY AND
TECHNOLOGY
ROADMAP WITH
AND FOR YOU

57. MAPPING
PROJECTION
DATA CAPTURE
DELIVERY
PREDICTION
OUR
EXPERTISE WHAT WE DELIVER
RESEARCH
CONSULTING
TECHNOLOGY
PROJECTS

58. “IF YOU DO NOTHING TODAY, TECHNOLOGY MEGATRENDS
WILL DISRUPT YOUR MARKET ANYWAY TOMORROW.”
THANK YOU!
www.digi-agri.com
deepak@digi-agri.com
Deepak Pareek, CEO & Founder
+91 98982 69489