RML AgTech Pvt. Ltd. (RML AgTech) formerly known as Reuters Market Light(Conceptualize & earlier Lead by Amit Mehra) is a business to provide Technology & Data Anlytics Solutions to farmers. The service is Decision Support Technology designed to provide farmers with personalised agricultural data analytics from pre-sowing to post-harvest stages through App earlier SMS on their mobile phones in their local language support through call centre and on ground intervention. About 1.4 million Indian farmers from an estimated 50,000 villages have used this service across 18 states. Through sharing among farmers, it is estimated to have reached 5 million farmers. RML AgTech covers over 450 crop and crop varieties and more than 1300 markets. With this service, individual farmers gained up to INR 200,000 ($4000) of additional profits, and savings of nearly INR 400,000 ($8000), marking a significant return on their investment.
Video Reuters Market Light
History
The innovation began with the realization of the causes behind the poor state of millions of farmers around the developing world. The biggest realization was that this pain - both economic and emotional -must be addressed at an individual farmer level. RML AgTech, a business incubated by Thomson Reuters, was conceptualized as a one-page idea in 2006 to address this need. Following nearly 18 months of market research, prototyping and market trials, RML AgTech was launched in October 1, 2007, in Maharashtra by Sharad Pawar, the union minister of agriculture of India followed by launch in Punjab in 2008 by Mr. Prakash Badal, state's Chief Minister. Amit Mehra founded RML within Thomson Reuters and then spun it out with support from IvyCap Ventures Advisors Private Limited (IvyCap), a venture capital fund management company to drive commercial growth of RML AgTech (formerly Reuters Market Light). IvyCap, which is backed by the IIT Alumni Network, is the lead investor in RML AgTech with Thomson Reuters remaining as a shareholder and partner in the newly formed RML AgTech Pvt Ltd (formerly RML Information Services Private Limited).
Maps Reuters Market Light
Addressing the farmers' pain
Farmers in India are highly dependent on the middlemen and a patchy network of ad hoc information sources such as local shop keepers who leverage the information asymmetry in the system to earn higher profits at the cost of the individual farmers. Addressing this aspect, RML AgTech delivers customized, localized and personalized weather forecasts, local crop prices, agricultural news and information to them.
Products and services
RML Farmer - mobile application for farmers
RML Farmer is a multilingual mobile application developed for Indian farmers, to enable them with cutting edge decision support technology that positively impacts their productivity and profitability. It handholds farmers through every stage of the crop cycle i.e pre-sowing, harvest and sale of produce. Users can choose from over 850 crop varieties, 1200 markets (mandis), 5000 weather locations across 50,000 villages and 12 states of India.
RML Max
RML Max is a comprehensive solution covering the entire crop life cycle from soil nutrient management to crop marketing solutions, comprising the following smart tools:
- FarmNutri(TM)
- SoDoc(TM)
- CropDoc(TM)
- DigiMandi(TM)
RML Active
RML Active is a combination of crop protection and crop marketing solutions:
- CropDoc(TM)
- DigiMandi(TM)
Also, CropDoc(TM) and Nutrient Management(TM) are the stand alone products which can be directly bought from RML AgTech application
R-Edge - market data solution
R-Edge is a web-based tool used by agri lending banks, agri procurement companies and other agri related organizations.
RML Farmer: impact
RML has an unprecedented financial and emotional impact on the farming community by helping them achieve better yields, secure better prices, and feel empowered vis-a-vis the strong middlemen community.
Firstly, it has empowered farmers with actionable information which enable them to take informed decisions and reduces their production and marketing risk thereby directly enhancing their livelihood According to ICRIER study conducted in 2009, RML users observed an increase in their income by 5-25%. Moreover, the 2011 USAID study stated that RML intervention led to enhanced price realization, farmers got around Rs 6 to 8 more per kg on their crop. Around 80% of the farmers have changed their information sourcing behavior. This service has helped many users in improving alignment of farm output to market demands, ensuring improved productivity and high quality of produce. World Bank also conducted a study in 2010, indicating that 8% increase in price realization to RML farmers who directly sold to traders.
Secondly, it has empowered farmers vis-à-vis the middlemen community and helped make the local markets more efficient. With RML, 12% reduction in price dispersion was observed across markets, comments London Business School study in 2010 / 11.
Awards
RML has been recognized nationally and internationally for positively contributing to the development at the bottom of the pyramid.
- Innovation for India Awards, 2014
Reuters Market Light service was awarded the "Innovation for India Award" by the Marico Innovation Foundation under the business category. The service was selected from over 430 entries on the basis of uniqueness, impact and sustainability post a rigorous evaluation process.
- NABARD Rural Innovation Award, 2012
RML Card was awarded the NABARD Rural Innovation Award, 2012 in the Private Sector - Agriculture & Allied Activities. RML was amongst the 12 winners out of 1470 entries and 30 nominees in the first-of-its-kind awards. The Award was conferred by Finance Minister, Rural Development Minister and Chairman NABARD.
- Financial Times & Justmeans Social Innovation Award, 2010
RML won the FT & Justmeans Social Innovation Awards 2010 for "Best Base of the Pyramid Strategy"
- Coffey International BIG TICK, 2010
RML has won the highly commended Coffey International BIG TICK, supported by the Department for International Development.
- World Business and Development Award, 2010
RML won the World Business and Development Award (WBDA) in 2010 conferred by UNDP, ICC, and International Business Leaders Forum, in recognition of its efforts for contributing to improving the lives of India's farming community.
- The Manthan Award South Asia, 2010
RML Direct has been recognized as an Award winner for mobile phone-based professional information service for the Indian farmer community in India.
- mBillionth Award South Asia 2010
Recognized for pioneering a mobile-based information service for farming communities in villages across India
- RMAI (Rural Marketing Association of India) Award, 2010
RML won the RMAI Gold award for the best internet / SMS / mobile initiative for rural markets
Recognition
- World Economic Forum in Davos, 2011
The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum at Davos highlighted the benefits of this service, where farmers receive information on the price of specific crops at markets of their choice without having to travel.
- Accenture Report - 'Masters of rural markets: The Hallmarks of High Performance', 2010
In 2010, Accenture Report - 'Masters of rural markets: The Hallmarks of High Performance' featured RML as a case study along with other popular brands like Hero Honda, LG and Hindustan Unilever Limited.
- World Economic Forum in Cape Town, 2009
In June 2009, the World Economic Forum in Cape Town presented RML as a video case study of businesses having a direct positive social impact.
- The UNDP accolade, 2008
The UNDP and the UK government have accredited RML as one of the six initiatives that have a potential to contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
- London Business School case study
A case study on RML as a strategic business model innovation was developed by one of the world's leading strategy guru, Professor Costas Markides. Registered with the European Case Clearing House (ECCH), it has been used in the Senior Executive Programs at London Business School.
- Cambridge University
RML was taught as a case study as part of the Business and Poverty Leadership Program
Mentions in books
- RML featuring in Nandan Nilekani's book 'Imagining India'
- RML was referred by Nandan Nilekani, former CEO and co-founder of Infosys, in his book - Imagining India as a service that has begun to impact rural India.
- RML also featured in Prof. C.K. Prahalad's book - The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid
- The book talks about the RML service and how it impacts the farming community
References
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/high-agricultural-credit-crop-insurance-scheme-positive-measures-in-budget-experts/articleshow/56918393.cms
External links
- RML AgTech Pvt Ltd Website
- Thomson Reuters
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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