Ancient Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and Egyptian civilisations had much in common. Want to know what it was?
These civilisations were among the earliest and most influential in history. They all developed near river basins: the Euphrates, Indus, and Nile, respectively. This practice wasn’t a coincidence. Agriculture was their primary occupation, requiring fertile soil and a continuous water source.
Consider this timeline: about 5 million years ago, humans began walking on two legs, and it was only 12,000 years ago that we started farming. Our human history has been recorded only for 5,000 to 10,000 years. This progression highlights how essential food supply and agricultural practices were vital in forming human settlements, leading to great civilisations.
Okay, enough history for now—more on that later. Let’s focus on agriculture.
We all know what agriculture is, or at least what it produces: food. But have you ever wondered how farmers do agriculture?
Simply put, farmers have been practising agriculture in organised and unorganised sectors, using traditional and hi-tech approaches.
However, I have noticed common patterns in my one-on-one conversations with farmers and entrepreneurs over the past three years.
- The benefits of the Indian agricultural policies do not reach our rural farmers.
- We need localised solutions for our problems instead of Westernised approaches to local farming.
Let me break it down for you:
The case of unregistered farmers:
Depending on how farming is defined, there are between 37 million and 118 million farmers in India—a discrepancy the government should resolve. Out of these, only about 18 million are properly registered. Why is this?
A market survey conducted by my startup in Erode, Tamil Nadu, found that more than 48% of 84 surveyed farmers were unaware of government schemes and subsidies for irrigation or that their crops were insured.
Another question arises: is this due to policies not reaching grassroots farmers or because the policies are inefficient and not inclusive?
I am still finding answers to that.
The need for more localised solutions
On the other hand, many agritech and other agricultural businesses starting in India are mostly ripping off ideas from Western countries and trying to implement them here.
As Picasso said, ‘Good artists copy, great artists steal. ‘ This approach works for some things, but it doesn’t solve the problems Indian farmers face.
For example, at a recent agritech fair, all I saw were automated irrigation systems. These are great for farmers who know how to operate a smartphone and are fluent in English, but not for grassroots farmers.
If you are innovating, don’t be lazy. At least translate the app, instructions, or even a voiceover (if they cannot read) into the regional language your farmers can understand.
Another issue is that even institutions and companies make the same mistake instead of engaging their students to be innovative. I saw a 65+ years old farmer at that same expo, listening to a 20-something college kid explaining how to operate a drone for pest control.
In the end, the farmer said, ‘Poda paithya kaara k**dhi, evanda oru acre nelathula rocket parakaveppa’, which translates to, ‘Get lost…(calling degoratory words in Tamil), how can I make a rocket fly in an acre of land’? To this farmer, manually handling pesticides on an acre of land is manageable, and learning how to operate a drone is an unnecessary complication. This incident highlights the need for innovations that solve real problems rather than just creating a buzz.
The same issue exists with hydroponic startups in India. This issue is personal to me as someone running a hydroponic startup called HyKrops Farm. Starting a hydroponic farm is easy, with information readily available online. But why do Indian startups copy exactly what is done in other countries?
Most well-known hydroponic startups in India grow vegetables like lettuce, spinach, arugula, and red spinach—ones for Western cuisine. Since these startups are copying, they don’t even bother to research or learn how to grow tomatoes, beans, ladyfingers, or various native Indian vegetables.
Have you ever heard your mother say to your dad or vice versa, ‘Buy some lettuce when you return from walking’? Or does someone ask for Lettuce Poriyal or Arugula Chutney? No, right? At least try to grow vegetables that belong to Indian cuisine instead of copying and using fancy words to describe those produce as ‘exotic greens’ or something.
Let me be real:
I am a first-generation entrepreneur, and I know it’s scary to start a business and make it successful.
Many volatile factors affect it, but you need to innovate, step up the game, and make a dent. That is what I am doing in HyKrops: trying to solve the problems instead of just copying what the giants are doing.
Try to innovate research or solve problems for people; this, in turn, creates your unique market. If Mark or Steve wanted to do just what others in their field were doing, we wouldn’t have Meta or Apple, which revolutionised how a whole generation thinks and shares information. They made the world smaller and more accessible, but it’s our duty to make it sustainable and available for all.
About HyKrops Farm
We are an environment-conscious startup with a social responsibility to develop sustainable practices in the fields of agriculture and agritech. We constantly advocate for the research and development of a multitude of farming practices and drive innovation to make them appealing to local factors.
Follow us on LinkedIn to get updates about the progress of their farms.
About the Founder and Author
Dhanush R A is the founder of Hykrops Farm. With a bachelor’s in genetic engineering, he completed an internship at Harvard Medical School and developed an interest in entrepreneurship in 2020. He earned his master’s degree in Norway and won a national pitching competition in 2022 conducted by BEA and VIS. He was also a semifinalist in Oslo Innovation Week. As a Business Developer Intern at Startup Migrants, he helped migrants start innovative European businesses. In 2023, he founded Hykrops to promote sustainable food practices in the Indian subcontinent.