Bayer has entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with WayCool, a food and agritech firm as a strategic partner to deliver solutions to smallholder farmers in India. The strategic collaboration aims to provide Indian farmers with access to premium products and solutions via a unified platform and personalised advice, with the goal of establishing and implementing a sustainable crop production model, a statement by Bayer said.

Bayer and WayCool have identified three key focus areas to support the farming community in India through their strategic collaboration. The first is a phydigital platform that offers one-stop solutions, the second is the economic benefits derived from the Food Value Chain partnership, and the third is the use of Bayer’s Better Life Farming Centers and Farmer Producer Organisations.

‘Outgrow’

WayCool’s farmer engagement business arm, “Outgrow,” will leverage a digital application to provide farmers with solutions and services, while the on-ground network will be mobilised through WayCool’s Outgrow Network Partners across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, as well as Bayer’s Better Life Farming Centres across the country. Further, WayCool will provide market linkages to help smallholder farmers get better prices for their produce, Bayer said.

Simon-Thorsten Wiebusch, Country Divisional Head — Crop Science division of Bayer for India, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka, said, “Digitisation of the complete value chain is a key enabler of advancing agriculture in India and a primary goal of the Crop Science Division at Bayer. To be able to offer these services to an expanded smallholder farmer base across the country and delivering greater value to them through a capable partner like WayCool will only bring us a step closer to this critical objective.”

Sanjay Dasari, Co-founder, WayCool, said, “As India progresses towards climate-smart agriculture, and achieving food security, the problem of rising temperatures and pest infestation is a significant challenge for farmers today in crop cultivation. This often leads to a loss in yield and productivity. Recognising this pain point, we are extremely happy to partner with Bayer and aid the Indian farming community in this fight. Together we hope to support the creation of efficient and climate resistant food ecosystems, in line with our vision to transform the food-supply chain from farm to fork.”

The collaboration between Bayer and WayCool aims to expand their network of farmer partners and facilitate the establishment and implementation of a sustainable crop production model. By providing customised services at the Better Life Farming Centers, the partnership will bring economic benefits to all stakeholders and enable farmers to achieve optimal price realisation of their output. It represents a strategic alliance to create a sustainable and prosperous future for farmers in India.

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