Micro Agriculture Logistics System for the rural farmers of the state of Tamilnadu, India (#2347)

Authors

Swaminathan, Jose

Ketels, Kevin

Sophia, Gruner

Garcia, Noel

Medina Cárdenas, Yurley

Rico-Bautista, Dewar

Abstract

COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on the people of Tamil Nadu - a state on the southeast coast of India. Forty percent of the population farms land that is 5 acres in size on average. The pool of available truck drivers to deliver produce from farms to markets has shrunk substantially due to restrictions and fears of COVID transmission. Many regional markets have also closed due to COVID fears. As a result, farmers are forced to sell their produce locally at substantially lower prices, that are unsustainable in providing basic income. Even prior to COVID, the small size of Indian farms are not conducive for economies of scale, equipment/technology investments or supply chain efficiencies. Farmers also have limited ability to engage technology due to a lack of education and resources. Improvements to the agriculture supply chain in India are critical, both during COVID and in order to build a more sustainable future for farmers. This paper proposes a Micro Agriculture Logistics System which leverages existing technologies to facilitate transportation and distribution through a community-based infrastructure. The solution will increase efficiencies in connecting drivers with farmers, identify alternative transportation modes, decrease spoilage, and digitally deliver payments throughout the value chain.