IBM Case Study

Transformed life a farmer:

Short term goals -
1. Improved access to electricity to improve efficiency and reduce food loss
Access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy enables farmers to increase
their productivity and efficiency in process of planting, irrigation and harvesting. All
these can be met if there is constant supply of electricity.
2. Improve internet connectivity to enable farmers access information on weather
forecast, market demand and pricing strategy allowing them to harvest food more
efficiently. It can be possible if real time information is available to the farmers to
allow them to take decisions effectively.
3. Familiarizing farmers with multiple uses of water available in ponds and other small
impoundment. Knowledge on effective harvesting of water to farmers particularly in
the dry and arid areas.
4. Incorporating aquaculture activities within production systems for terrestrial plant and
animal species under the context of diversification that makes plants
Long term goals –
1. Through partnership with NGOs we will provide the basic trainings in skill
development, better quality of education, free medical facilities to the families of
farmers.
2. Mentors will be assigned to a group of farmers to solve their doubts and to help them
during the financial crisis.

Solutions envisaged for crop planning:

Short term goals –
1. The farmer should consult to local plant protection officer who is appointed by
government, before starting to crop. So the farmer will know better about his/ her
agricultural lands, which will develop the crop production and will not affect the soil
quality.
2. In addition to that, he should send the soil sample for testing to a government
accreditation lab. So, he will know about different characteristics of the soil and the
requirements needed for that particular type of soil.
3. The farmer should perform crop rotation in which different crops in sequenced
seasons are grown in the same area because of which the soil will regain its fertility
power, reduce the soil erosion and it can give more productivity in the future.
Long term goals –
1. Insurance company should provide crop insurance to the farmers in case of natural
calamity or any other disaster.
2. Educate farmers on effective usage of latest technology like IOT, block chain
technology in farming practices.
3. Encourage the use of organic Farming instead of traditional farming practices.
Make farmer aware and educate them on judicious usage of chemicals and water:
Answer –
1. Awareness programs about the proper usage chemicals and water should be carried
out in a regular interval. It will bring farmers and business executives together. So,
that they will aware about these issues and will not repeat these mistakes in future.
2. Also, 15 days’ trainings should be provided to educate farmers. So, that we will know
the real issues the farmers are facing in real life and try to solve them as soon as
possible.
3. They should be taken to fields, where chemicals and water are used in a judiciously
manner. So, that will visualize things and try to remember those things.
4. Tasks should be given to them after the training. They will be evaluated and some
incentives should be provided to those, who will secure certain amount of marks.

Help small farmers access the market better:

Short term goal –
1. Government should appoint some third parties who will be responsible to teach the
usage of internet and smartphones to farmers. So that they will get a lot more
information than before.
2. The farmers usually unaware of outside world because they don’t complete their
studies and they often do repetitive works which are done by a lot of people. So, they
remain in poverty in their life.
3. If they will be given education on the usage of internet and smartphone, they will start
to use it and will get information. But post evaluation should be done after the
training.
4. Because a lot of farmers are not used to smartphones and they will stop using it after
sometimes. They should be given some task on regular basis, so that they will use
their phone regularly.
5. The government should an online marketplace where small farmers can sell their
production at higher prices. Because in rural areas, they usually sell it to the dealers
in very cheap price.
6. Due to which, they are not able earn more and save little amount money for their
future. They usually take loans from the Zamindars, who impose higher interest on
the loan.
7. Subsequently, the farmers fall in this loan trap and unable to come out of this
situation. In a year approximately 80 farmers do suicide because of this loan trap,
8. If government will give them some incentives regularly, then they will use those funds
for their cultivation and will not take loan from zamindars.

Long – Term Goals -

1. The company should arrange land to the farmers who has less than 1 acre of land
and provide them basic amenities and funds for cultivation.