Sowing Innovation: Glific’s Impact on Precision Agriculture

Empowering Precision Agriculture: The BharatRohan Chatbot Story

BharatRohan is at the forefront of revolutionizing agriculture with its drone-based hyperspectral imaging technology, providing farmers with precision agriculture tools to enhance crop yield and profitability. As they scaled their operations, one of their primary challenges was communicating efficiently with farmers across multiple regions. That’s when they turned to Glific for a technology-driven solution that could bridge the gap.

Creating a Seamless Communication Platform

To address BharatRohan’s need for seamless communication, I led the development of a customized chatbot on Glific, designed specifically to streamline interactions with farmers. The goal was to automate the delivery of critical advisories, prescription maps, and treatment plans directly to farmers based on hyperspectral image analysis.

We implemented a push-based mechanism that automatically delivered these advisories using contact variables stored within Glific’s database. This enabled farmers to receive precise, real-time information tailored to their crop needs, thereby enhancing decision-making and operational efficiency.

Innovative User Flows for Disease Detection

Understanding the unique challenges faced by BharatRohan, we devised four distinct user pathways to diagnose 0, 1, 2, or 3 crop diseases per farm. This segmentation approach was a game-changer, as it allowed farmers to receive targeted solutions based on the actual conditions on their farms. We implemented this functionality using the ‘split by contact variable’ feature in Glific, ensuring each farmer received relevant insights without any manual intervention.

Elevating Farmer Support with On-Demand Advisory and Weather Forecast Integration

To further enhance the platform’s value, we introduced on-demand advisory retrieval, enabling farmers to access the last three advisories through a custom webhook. This feature ensured continuous support and guidance, allowing BharatRohan to maintain high engagement levels with their farming community.

Building on this, we integrated a Visual Crossing Weather Forecast API into Glific, allowing BharatRohan to send weekly weather updates directly to farmers. These forecasts included essential data like temperature, humidity, and wind speed, enabling farmers to make informed decisions based on real-time weather conditions.

Overcoming Challenges in Weather Forecast Messaging

One of the challenges we faced was creating a push-based weather forecast system while adhering to WhatsApp’s template message character limits. To solve this, we implemented a streamlined workflow that triggered weather updates through a quick-reply button, delivering concise yet comprehensive weather information to farmers without compromising on clarity or relevance.

IVR Integration for Effortless User Onboarding

Recognizing the need for an easy opt-in process, we partnered with Exotel to integrate an IVR system, enabling farmers to connect with the BharatRohan chatbot through a simple missed call. This innovative approach not only simplified the opt-in process but also ensured a seamless transition for users from traditional communication methods to digital engagement.

Impact Highlights

  • Automated Communication: Implemented a seamless advisory flow that reduced the manual effort required to communicate with thousands of farmers, improving the overall responsiveness of BharatRohan’s operations.
  • Weather Forecast Integration: Delivered weekly weather forecasts to farmers, driving better decision-making based on real-time data.
  • Increased User Engagement: Achieved high adoption rates of the chatbot among farmers, with a significant improvement in interaction and advisory retrieval.
  • Effortless Onboarding: Enhanced the onboarding process through IVR integration, achieving high engagement rates similar to the success seen with other NGOs like Reap Benefit.

Bridging Technology and Social Impact at Tech4Dev

My experience with BharatRohan wasn’t limited to a single project. During my tenure at Tech4Dev, I also spearheaded the launch of a non-profit chatbot for One Billion Literates Foundation (OBLF), which supported an interactive learning program for over 12,000 students from 153 government schools. Leading these initiatives allowed me to leverage my product management skills to create solutions that make a tangible impact on communities.

A Legacy of Innovation and Empowerment

At Tech4Dev, my journey was driven by a singular focus: using technology to create a lasting impact on society. Whether it was driving seamless communication through Glific for BharatRohan or enabling educational access for students at OBLF, my mission was to bring innovative solutions to the forefront of social good. The success of these projects reaffirmed my belief that with the right tools and technology, we can truly make a difference in the world.

Impact Beyond the Field

  • Boosted Agricultural Efficiency: Enabled BharatRohan to revolutionize their approach to farmer interaction, making precision agriculture accessible and scalable.
  • Empowered Farmer Decision-Making: Introduced AI-driven weather forecasts and advisory systems that helped farmers optimize their crop yield.
  • Leadership in Product Management: Led multiple high-impact projects from conception to deployment, consistently delivering results that exceeded expectations.
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