LEAF to bring in tech platform to connect with farmers

Integrated agri services provider Lawrencedale Agro Processing India (LEAF), based in Udhagamandalam, has announced expansion of its services by increasing the number of the farmers connected to 30 lakh from the present strength of 30,000 farmers in the next three years.

Besides, it is going to introduce a technology platform in a month or two, giving the farmers access to financial, insurance and extension services.

The firm works with small and marginal farmers in remote areas and helps them cut down cost of cultivation and save time by reducing the time to access inputs and other services. “In the next 15 months, we are going to rope in 10 lakh farmers. Besides strengthening our operations in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, we are going to expand to Telangana, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra,” Palat Vijayaraghavan, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of LEAF, told BusinessLine.

“We are going to roll out a phygital (a hybrid of physical and digital models) service delivery concept to the various tribal agriculture belts in the country. The farmers will be allowed to access financial services and other services required for farming through a digital platform,” he said.

The firm, which has a base of 200 employees, is going to hire 200 more as it rolls out the expansion plan. It is going to set up 30 Farmers’ Service Centres, with each covering 10,000-15,000 farmers.

These centres will be manned by agronomists and people who could assist the farmers in accessing digital services.