
Kisan Network (YC W16) is an online marketplace for Indian agriculture - adi_agarwalla
http://techcrunch.com/2016/03/09/y-combinator-backed-kisan-network-is-transforming-the-rural-indian-agricultural-market/
======
adi_agarwalla
Co-founder Aditya here. I'd love to answer any questions you may have, so
please free to fire them my way!

The reason why we decided to build this is because the agricultural market in
India is plagued by a middleman driven inefficient physical system where
farmers do not have a say in the crop sale process. This is different from how
the industry works in the US. But the fact is that in India, a huge majority
(~85%) of farmers are small and marginal and therefore, have to deal with this
system.

~~~
srisaila
I've had something like this in my mind for quite a while now! I know what the
situation is like because I've first-hand knowledge of all the trials and
tribulations farmers in India go through when it comes to selling their
produce. Already, irregular rainfall makes their lives miserable!

~~~
adi_agarwalla
Yes, farmers in general and especially in India face numerous challenges. From
our own interactions with them, we found this to be their major one as it is
directly linked to their livelihood and the income they make.

------
social_entrp_2
Hey Ditty (can I call you Ditty?), great work. Truly impressed. I've been a
social entrepreneur myself for many a year (since I was 18, so 2 years ago),
so it's always great to see fellow entrepreneurs tackling the problems that
define our time.

Two questions, one technical, one not. Do you guys use a microservices
architecture on the backend? And if not, why not? Also, what is your MBTI
(Meyers-Brigg personality type)?

Best, J

~~~
adi_agarwalla
Nothing like that as we don't need one!

As for MBTI, mine is ENTJ.

------
writetoalok
So, why is your website - [http://kisannetwork.in/](http://kisannetwork.in/)
devoid of any link to access this market place that you speak of ..?

    
    
      - No App Download link
      - No Telephone numbers toll free or otherwise
      - No product listing, (items, prices etc.) on the website
      - Just one email address to buy from farmers on your platform

~~~
adi_agarwalla
Thanks for the question. We are currently in public beta in only one location
in the country and as a result, the marketplace isn't live for everyone to be
able to use. But, we are expanding this year to more locations in the country!

------
reddyonrails
This require advertisement and trust from farmers; I had similar idea but with
co-operative way .

Good luck and how do you handle issues like trade unions etc?

~~~
adi_agarwalla
Yes, trust from farmers is extremely important. Maybe the most important
aspect here and we work daily to ensure and build that.

We haven't faced those sort of issues yet.

------
akirekadu
Making my first HN comment to say thank you for creating something like this!

I come from a farmer family. Sustaining is very hard for small farmers because
middlemen make most of the profit in the current system (then there are pests
and unpredictability of price/rain etc to deal with).

Best of luck!

~~~
adi_agarwalla
Thanks a lot. You are very right in saying that middlemen make most of the
profit in this industry and we are trying our best to ensure that both end
buyers and sellers get the best deal possible because of the efficiency we
bring into the system.

------
eklavya
I wish you best. Really, awesome work. I deeply appreciate your efforts to
challenge this gigantic problem.

~~~
adi_agarwalla
Thank you so much. Really appreciate it.

------
as1193
Great work Aditya!

------
misbah143
Amazing work man!

