A mechanical engineering graduate from Kerala is revolutionising Indian agriculture with a homegrown solution that merges real-time data with precision farming to help farmers increase yield and fight pest attacks.
Sreehari Vijayakumar, CEO and co-founder of ‘Revin Krishi’, a startup incubated at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Palakkad, has developed a technology aimed at empowering farmers with timely, hyperlocal insights that can significantly enhance productivity and reduce input costs.
“At the heart of farming is a couple of critical questions — when to sow, when to use fertilisers, how much to water and when to prevent pest attacks. In our country, the majority of farmers are still relying on conventional methods leading to failed crops and diminishing yields,” he said.
Sreehari has developed a technology integrated with a sensor-based system that can be installed on farms. The technology collects real-time data and analyses 20 parameters, giving continuous updates to farmers through their mobile phones.
“One device can monitor up to five acres of land, providing data every 10 minutes on key factors such as soil pH, humidity, temperature, wind speed, and weather conditions. It provides farmers precise inputs on when to water the crops and apply fertilisers. Through a dedicated mobile app, farmers receive real-time instructions on nutrient deficiencies, pest prevention, and fertilisation schedules — all customized to their specific crop varieties and local micro-climate,” he said.
“Farmers prioritise mechanisation, believing that reducing labour is the key to progress. But real progress begins with understanding what the crop needs by using technology,” he adds.
The technology not only reduces dependency on pesticides and fertilisers through timely interventions but also helps prevent crop diseases before they spread, thanks to early alerts. According to Sreehari, 750 farmers across South India are using the technology developed by Revin Krishi, and he plans to expand his startup’s operations to other parts of the country.
The benefits are already visible. In regions where Revin Site devices have been deployed — including parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala — turmeric farmers have seen an 18 per cent increase in yields and improved curcumin content. The savings on fertiliser and pesticide inputs, coupled with better output, allow farmers to recover the device’s cost through just one season’s harvest.
