Agriculture and technology don't naturally complement each other at a significantly larger scale. We are constantly striving to incorporate technology more extensively into our country's oldest profession, agriculture. Technology offers numerous features that can genuinely assist any sector in enhancing its growth, revenue, and operational functions. The agricultural landscape has evolved, along with farming techniques, and farmers are also adopting new farming practices. It's essential to make farmers aware of tools and technologies that can contribute to increased production and bulk sales. A WhatsApp chatbot, with its many features, can automate sales, customer communication, order processing, provide information on government schemes, insurance updates, real-time weather data, and notifications on market demand and crop pricing.
Benefits |
Description |
|---|---|
Instant Bulk Messaging |
Inform about fresh crops and product details to multiple customers at once |
Real-time Farming notifications |
Get weather alerts, market price updates, soil quality check etc. |
Straight-to-Customer |
Avoid any middleman in selling crops, direct contact and sell to customers or retail. |
Customer-Focused Transparency |
Building customer relationship by maintaining transparency in the supply chain. |
Awareness regarding govt. schemes, crop insurance policy, market demand. |
Avoid any middleman in selling crops, direct contact and sell to customers or retail |
Digital Farming Communication |
Easily communicate and exchange information related to farming practices via images, videos, and audios. |
Effortless Location Sharing |
Easy to share farm location or delivery location. |
Language Preference |
Communication in any language based on the user's preference. |
Tips to Maximize WhatsApp Business API (chatbot) Engagement
1. Share informative content such as details on seasonal crop growth periods, crop care safety tips, disease prevention, and market trends.
2. Providing multilingual support for the local public will help attract more attention to online content.
3. Short videos and tutorials on mobile devices are convenient for carrying and watching regarding new farming methods and techniques.
4. Engaging with social media platforms to receive orders and connect with a larger audience.
5. Connect to a marketplace where farmers can sell their produce at the right price and easily connect with buyers.
6. Share videos and photos of their farming practices and food production to establish greater transparency with the audience.
7. Broadcasting is the most efficient way to send important updates to an unlimited users, instead of sending them individually.
8. Promote offers and deals to attract more farmers to participate in farming-related campaigns.
AI in chatbot
Majority of farmers in our country speak the local language. English is challenging to understand, and farmers would only prefer a WhatsApp chatbot if it's available in their local languages. The use of AI technology and chatbots introduces new features, such as virtual assistance, improved visual flows, interactive buttons, and enhanced analytics. This makes conversations easier to understand and contributes to the improvement of customer service.
AI in chatbots offers incredible features to detect as many Indian languages as possible. Given that Indians speak numerous languages, especially in the interior regions of India, we possess an extensive database of all the languages spoken here. This database enables us to process these languages within the chatbot effectively. This capability will assist farmers in communicating with the chatbot, whether through voice or text, in their preferred language. In fact, offering access to various languages will benefit not only farmers but also the general public who prefer to read and write in their local languages.
Language Support
When farmers initiate their interaction with the WhatsApp chatbot portal for any farming-related inquiry, the process will start by asking about their language preference. This approach ensures that they remain engaged with the chatbot and can utilize it comprehensively for all their concerns, as if a human is addressing all their questions. Currently, WhatsApp chatbot supports 8 Indian languages, including Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, and Punjabi. As the platform continues to evolve, it will extend its support to more languages in the future.
Transforming Business
Farmers often have common, FAQ-like questions, and their simple queries can be easily addressed, such as inquiring about weather conditions, government schemes, crop protection methods, and more. With the use of technology, there's no need for them to visit government offices or make phone calls; they can obtain answers to these questions from the comfort of their homes.
In recent times, many businesses and sectors have been embracing WhatsApp chatbots as a means for daily interaction. People are placing greater emphasis on WhatsApp Business API for attracting more customers compared to traditional websites, which tend to yield results more slowly. This smart technology not only aids businesses but also saves customers time by delivering information in a conversational manner.
To achieve this, the government is actively developing and enhancing various features and functionalities in chatbots to enhance convenience for the public. There will be dedicated chatbots for different domains such as education, employment, agriculture, exams, elections, and more. These category-specific chatbots can provide a wide range of services. The government's MyGov WhatsApp chatbot, which was launched during the COVID pandemic as a helpdesk, is already in operation, and further enhancements to it would be highly beneficial.
Let's take a look at some useful templates that demonstrate farmers' interactions with the chatbot.
1. Crop Assistance:
User: Hi, I need advice for my Brinjal crop.
Bot: Okay! Please share images of your Brinjal plants. [User sends images]
Bot: Thank you! Based on the images, it seems your plants have a pest issue. I recommend using Neem oil spray. Mix 1 tbsp. of Neem oil with 1 litre of water and spray it on the affected areas every 7 days.
2. Market Price Updates:
User: What's the current price for wheat?
Bot: The current market price for wheat is ₹1,800 per quintal.
3. Weather Forecast:
User: Can you provide the weather forecast for tomorrow
Bot: Sure! Tomorrow’s forecast area is: Max Temperature: 32°c, Min Temperature: 22°c, Precipitation: 10%, Wind: 5km/h.
4. Disease Diagnosis:
User: My apple trees have some strange spots. Can you help?
Bot: Of course! Please send clear images of the affected leaves. [User sends images]
Bot: Thanks for sharing. It appears to be apple scab disease. Try removing the affected leaves and using copper fungicide.
5. Fertilizer Recommendation:
User: I'm growing potatoes. What fertilizer should I use?
Bot: Potatoes require balanced nutrition. I recommend using NPK 10-10-10 fertilizer. Apply 50g per square meter.
6. Training Resources:
User: I'd like to learn about organic farming.
Bot: Great choice! I can send you videos and articles on organic farming. Would you like to start with a video tutorial?
7. Government Schemes:
User: Are there any government subsidies available for farmers? Bot: Yes, there are. Could you please specify your location so I can provide information about local schemes?
8. Marketplace Integration:
User: I have 100 kg of onions to sell. Where can I find buyers? Bot: You can list your onions on our marketplace. I'll guide you through the process.
9 . Supply Chain Tracking:
User: I've shipped my mangoes to the market. Can you track the delivery for me?
Bot: Sure! Please provide your shipment tracking number. [User shares tracking number]
Bot: Your shipment is currently at the local distribution center and will reach the market by tomorrow.
10 . Farm Equipment Rentals:
User: I need a tractor for ploughing. Is there any available nearby?
Bot: Yes, there's a tractor available for rent nearby. I can connect you with the owner.
Typically, what we observe is that farmers are not directly connected with consumers; there are usually intermediaries like mandis, government officials, or distributors involved. The WhatsApp chatbot establishes a direct connection between growers and consumers, enabling direct communication. This way, customers gain awareness about the quality and freshness of the products they consume, as well as pricing details. Meanwhile, farmers receive information about harvesting updates and tools management facilities.
It would be more convenient for farmers if they could independently reach the market by sharing pictures, videos, or updates about their produce. Even small-scale farmers can expand their presence in the market and boost their sales. The WhatsApp Business API also aids in offering real-time updates on their stocks and sales pricing, facilitating better tracking of their inventory.
The ongoing digital revolution in the agricultural sector will automate numerous tasks for farmers and reduce marketing expenses. Chatbots will provide better services to farmers, allowing them to, in turn, offer improved service to their customers. This adoption will have a significant impact on the agriculture sector, increasing transparency in crop and vegetable productivity as well as pricing. The WhatsApp API will contribute to the dissemination of innovative farming techniques, which will undoubtedly alleviate the challenges faced by farmers. Just as UPI has streamlined payment methods, the WhatsApp API will streamline farming practices, leading to improved revenue and connectivity.
Engaging WhatsApp API in the farming sector:
1. Farmers will engage with the bot if it is user-friendly. Therefore, all types of questions and answers can be personalized according to their preferences. For instance, if a farmer has an audience with specific dietary preferences or allergies, the seller can provide options tailored to those requirements. These options can be saved and utilized for future recommendations.
2. Farmers can share information in their posts to help people understand if they are selling organic or non-organic foods, the types of crops they offer, pricing details, and whether they are seeking bulk buyers. These posts can also include information about their location and product specifics. Sharing pictures and videos of their farming land, the products they harvest, and their farming techniques can be highly effective in capturing people's attention when shared on social media
3. Farmers are recognizing the potential for growth and improvement in their practices but often lack the resources to access relevant information. Demo videos on crop protection, organic farming methods, providing updates on new products, informing them about new schemes, and sharing news about events in nearby areas can be valuable sources of knowledge for them. While a chatbot might not be able to explain these concepts comprehensively, WhatsApp Business API allows for sharing such information with a broad and unlimited audience.
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