Walmart Foundation has announced a significant initiative aimed at transforming India’s agriculture sector through technology. With grants totaling USD 2.78 million, the foundation is collaborating with the National Entrepreneurship Network (NEN), Cornell University, and Precision Development (PxD) to enhance the livelihoods of over 300,000 farmers across multiple Indian states. This effort aligns with Walmart's broader goal of empowering 1 million smallholder farmers in India by 2028, with a focus on promoting gender equality by ensuring at least 50% of the beneficiaries are women.
One of the key initiatives under this funding is NEN’s development of AI-based solutions for grain assessment. With over USD 1.5 million in grant support, NEN plans to scale its AI-driven app to help farmers, particularly in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, assess the quality of soybean grains. This innovation aims to enhance market access for smallholder farmers, enabling them to command better prices for their produce.
The project also aspires to integrate AI technologies into other agri-tech platforms, creating a broader digital resource for agriculture. The project will enable 200,000 farmers to make informed decisions, ensuring a higher return on their crops by offering real-time quality assessment.
Cornell University, in collaboration with the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI), has received nearly USD 1 million to advance its ‘My FPO Connect’ platform. This digital hub, launched in 2021, is a centralized database for Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in India. By providing information on over 33,000 FPOs, including details on crops, sponsoring agencies, and financial data, the platform makes it easier for stakeholders to engage with and support FPOs.
The platform is accessible in multiple regional languages, broadening its reach and ensuring that local farmers can benefit from the information available. The grant will help Cornell University accelerate the growth of this platform, ultimately improving FPO visibility and access to markets.
Precision Development (PxD), another key partner in this initiative, will continue to work with smallholder coffee farmers in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. PxD has received USD 260,000 to extend its digital advisory service, Coffee Krishi Taranga (CKT), in partnership with the Coffee Board of India. This service provides farmers with crucial information on cultivation techniques, weather forecasts, and market prices.
With over 90,000 farmers already benefiting from the service, the new grant aims to expand its reach to 130,000 farmers, ensuring that coffee growers have access to vital resources that can help boost their productivity and income. PxD’s efforts also focus on integrating voice-based services and developing instructional videos to further support farmers in adopting sustainable practices.
Walmart Foundation’s grants aim to create a more inclusive and sustainable agricultural ecosystem in India by leveraging AI solutions, digital platforms, and personalized advisory services.
This initiative not only seeks to improve farmer incomes but also supports the adoption of environmentally friendly practices, positioning India’s smallholder farmers for long-term success in a competitive global market.
