Ideaz

~PROBLEM STATMENT

One of the main issues Indian farmers deal with is the unpredictable nature of groundwater availability when drilling borewells. Ineffective attempts to drill borewells, a costly process, result in large financial losses for farmers. The vast majority of farmers are unaware that the Indian government provides helpful resources such as satellite-based data, groundwater mapping, soil maps, thermal maps, and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) and others.

When these data exist, they are presented in very technical forms that are difficult for farmers to access or interpret. In addition, their limited digital literacy, linguistic constraints, and farmer-unfriendly tools hinder them from using this information provided by the government.   As a result of this, most farmers still use intuition or local knowledge, which results in the drilling of borewells in undesirable positions, raising their expenses and risk.

~SOLUTION

To address this issue, we propose the development of a mobile application called "Farmer's Friend App" with the specific intent to offer government-provided groundwater and soil data to farmers in an easy and convenient way.

The primary functions of this app are:

Integration of ISRO and Government Data – The application will integrate the official satellite data, soil-type maps, thermal maps, and groundwater maps to provide accurate information. 

Location-Based Services (GPS) – The application will make use of GPS and verify the location of the farm of the farmer and show groundwater availability in the vicinity.

User-Friendly Interface – The application will be created in simple language with mapping and clear indicators.

Regional Language Support – Farmers can use the application in their local regional language, thus allowing it to be used anywhere across India.

Crop Suitability Recommendations – Based on soil type and availability of water, the app can recommend the best crops to be grown.

Reduction in Costs – By depicting the best place to drill the borewell, the app will help farmers avoid pointless efforts and reduce total costs.

This product bridges the gap between scientific information received by the government and real farmer needs by translating complex data into a functional tool.

~Conclusion

Though there is plenty of data available from ISRO and government sources, Indian farmers still incur losses due to failed attempts of borewell digging.  The main problem is not a dearth of information, but a lack of awareness and accessibility.  Let us empower the farmers by making them aware of underground water resources in or around their farms with the development of the "Farmer's Friend App." 

The app will be an intermediary between the farmers and the satellite data of ISRO, a simple, local, and beneficial solution.  The app will reduce farmers' risks, conserve money, and boost agricultural output with location-based groundwater mapping and crop suggestions.  Ultimately, the project makes farmers across India more profitable, sustainable in their farming practice, and more efficient with their resources.