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The partnership is focused on training and certifying professional drone pilots, creating employment opportunities and empowering rural communities.

Salam Kisan, a pioneering platform driving measurable transformation, has entered into a strategic partnership with SVERI College of Engineering, Pandharpur, Solapur, to establish a Joint Remote Pilot Training Organization (RPTO) at SVERI’s state-of-the-art campus. This collaboration represents a milestone in bridging the gap between industry and academia, aiming to create a skilled workforce and foster innovation in the rapidly expanding drone sector.

As India rapidly adopts drone technology across sectors such as agriculture, logistics, and infrastructure, the demand for skilled drone pilots is witnessing significant growth. Industry estimates suggest that India will need over 1 lakh professional drone pilots by 2027. The partnership between Salam Kisan and SVERI is set to address this demand by providing comprehensive training and certification programs for drone pilots. The focus is also on creating employment opportunities for rural youth. The initiative is rooted in the shared vision of socio-economic development through technological empowerment, paving the way for significant growth and transformation in underserved communities.

The formal signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was conducted by Akshay Khobragade, COO of Salam Kisan, and Dr. B. P. Ronge, Principal of SVERI College of Engineering. The event was graced by dignitaries, including Dr. Prashant Pawar, Vice Principal of SVERI, and Ramchandra Mashale, Founder and Director of MSR IAS Academy.

Speaking on the partnership, Akshay Khobragade, Chief Operating Officer of Salam Kisan, said, “This initiative is a significant step forward in building a resilient drone ecosystem in India. Through our partnership with SVERI, we aim to provide rural youth with the skills and opportunities necessary to thrive in this high-growth sector. Together, we are committed to shaping a future where technology drives employment and innovation.”

The collaboration is strategically designed to equip individuals with industry-relevant skills while creating opportunities for sustainable growth. With its focus on fostering employment and technological advancement, the RPTO is set to contribute meaningfully to the development of a modern workforce that can drive India’s leadership in the global drone industry.

Dhanashree Mandhani, Founder and CEO Salam Kisan, remarked, “Our collaboration with SVERI to establish the Joint Remote Pilot Training Organization is a significant stride towards empowering rural youth with advanced skills. With DGCA issuing remote pilot certificates to over 21,000 drone pilots as of December 2024 and industry projections indicating a need for over 100,000 professional drone pilots by 2027, the demand for skilled operators is evident. By focusing on drone technology, we aim to create employment opportunities and foster innovation in agriculture and beyond. This initiative aligns with our broader vision of leveraging technology to drive socio-economic development in underserved communities, as demonstrated by our recent partnership with the Maharashtra government to boost drone manufacturing and training.”

The partnership is focused on training and

 By Dhanashree Mandhani, Founder and CEO, Salam Kisan

The agritech ecosystem offers a groundbreaking chance to boost agricultural efficiency by 25-35 per cent, alongside adding $95 billion to the economy. Firms that prioritise technology integration today will enhance their ability to gain market share in the fast-expanding agritech industry. Agribusinesses that adopt these technologies now will be the ones influencing the future of agriculture in the days to come.

Technology is rapidly becoming the cornerstone of agricultural transformation, poised to create a $62.76 billion opportunity for agribusinesses by 2031. As global food demand surges to meet the needs of 9.8 billion people by 2050, traditional farming methods alone cannot deliver the required 70 per cent   increase in production. This gap presents a crucial opportunity for agribusinesses to leverage technology solutions that can revolutionise farming operations, optimise supply chains, and create sustainable growth at scale.

Agribusinesses are bridging this gap and bringing a paradigm shift in the agriculture sector with the integration of advanced technologies to bring operational efficiency. Leading companies are deploying artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and drone technologies to create end-to-end solutions that benefit both their operations and their farming partners.

Why Tech Integration Is Strategic Imperative

The technological revolution has created significant strategic advantages for B2B players across the agricultural sector. Agricultural corporations and startups are developing and deploying AI-powered systems not just for farm-level decisions but to optimise their entire supply chain – from procurement to distribution. Supply chain optimisation through real-time tracking and analytics has enabled agribusinesses to manage inventory more efficiently and reduce wastage substantially. Supply chain technology has also emerged as a critical investment area, with solutions focusing on traceability, quality management, and logistics optimisation.

Another innovation that is empowering farmers and agribusinesses is precision agritech.  They are revolutionising how agribusinesses optimise their operations and support their farming partners. By integrating GPS guidance systems, advanced sensors, and drone technologies, companies can now offer data-driven solutions that transform traditional farming practices. These enterprise-grade systems provide real-time analytics and actionable insights, enabling agribusinesses to help farmers reduce input costs while increasing yields. For instance, leading agricultural corporations are using sensor networks and drone fleets to create detailed field maps, monitor crop health, and implement variable-rate application of inputs – delivering both environmental sustainability and improved profit margins across their supply chain.

Furthermore, IoT-enabled solutions have revolutionised resource allocation across business networks, while advanced sensing technologies have dramatically improved quality assessment and standardisation processes.

Transformative Success Stories and Partnership

Successful technology integration in agriculture increasingly relies on strategic partnerships. India has made substantial investments in sustainable agricultural intensification (SAI) to tackle food security and sustainability challenges. The government, alongside private investors, allocates over $3 billion annually to agricultural innovation. These investments have resulted in the development of innovative solutions that strengthen market linkages, enhance crop resilience, and promote sustainable farming practices.

The impact of technology integration in agriculture is best illustrated through real-world success stories. For instance, the “Saagu Baagu” project, part of the Artificial Intelligence for Agriculture Innovation (AI4AI) initiative, has greatly boosted yields and incomes for 7,000 chilli farmers in Telangana. Developed in collaboration with the Telangana government, with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and implemented by Digital Green, the project has leveraged agritech and data management to double farmers’ earnings.

 By Dhanashree Mandhani, Founder and CEO, Salam

The company plans to train 500 drone pilots and create 1000 job opportunities across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh & Uttar Pradesh.

 Salam Kisan, a leading agri-tech platform, has successfully backed the tender from the Government of Maharashtra and the Maharashtra Agro-Industries Development Corporation (MAIDC) for drone spraying services. This milestone marks a pivotal step in the company’s mission to revolutionise Indian agriculture by introducing drone-as-a-service as a scalable solution for precision farming across the state. The collaboration with IFFCO and FMC further strengthens Salam Kisan’s role in transforming agricultural practices, making advanced farming solutions more accessible and sustainable.

Salam Kisan has won the technical bid for the MAIDC tender, which will see drones deployed in every taluka of Maharashtra. This initiative is part of the Government of Maharashtra’s larger effort to explore the deployment of agricultural drones across the state, helping to increase efficiency in farming practices. As part of this initiative, the government plans to train SC/ST, marginalized women, and rural youth, empowering them to become rural entrepreneurs, known as Drone Didis or Lakhpati Didis. The government will also provide a subsidy of up to Rs 5 lakh for the purchase of drones, making this technology more affordable for farmers.

As part of Salam Kisan’s collaboration with IFFCO, the world’s largest fertiliser cooperative, the company will deploy drones in Maharashtra’s water-scarce regions of Sanagali and Kolhapur to conserve resources and boost productivity. Salam Kisan’s association with FMC, a global leader in agricultural sciences, will focus on precision farming in the Wardha, Amravati, and Yavatmal regions. These larger farming areas will benefit from drones that cover extensive fields quickly and efficiently, improving day-to-day farming operations.

In addition to the technical deployment, Salam Kisan aims to train 500 drone pilots and create 1,000 job opportunities across Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The company is setting up a Remote Pilot Training Organization (RPTO) to provide comprehensive training programs for aspiring drone operators. This effort will not only build the capacity of rural entrepreneurs but will also promote sustainable farming practices across the nation.

Dhanashree Mandhani, Founder and CEO of Salam Kisan, said, “Our collaboration with MAIDC, IFFCO, and FMC represents a transformative shift in Indian agriculture. By integrating drones as a service, we are enhancing crop yields, reducing costs, conserving water, and empowering rural youth and women. Our goal is to create 1,000 job opportunities, train over 500 drone pilots, and help farmers cover over 1 million acres of farmland in our first year. With the support of the government and our industry partners, we are enabling farmers to embrace modern farming solutions and become more resilient in the face of climate change. With this comprehensive initiative, Salam Kisan is well on its way to revolutionizing Indian agriculture through sustainable, technology-driven farming practices. The deployment of drones across Maharashtra, combined with the strategic partnerships with IFFCO and FMC, is poised to create significant impacts in rural communities and strengthen the agricultural ecosystem”.

The company plans to train 500 drone

The collaboration between Salam Kisan and DBSKKV Dapoli is focused on a comprehensive suite of agritech advancements designed to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability

In a transformative step for Indian agriculture, Salam Kisan, a leading agri-tech platform under PRYM Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the prestigious state agricultural university Dr Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth (DBSKKV Dapoli). This strategic partnership focuses on facilitating a research-backed, tech-driven transformation within the agricultural ecosystem. With this partnership, Salam Kisan strengthens its existing features and creates additional value for the entire agricultural community with the addition of expertise in R&D, field trials, and data analytics to its ecosystem.

The MoU, signed by Dr. Parag Haldankar, Director of Research and Mr. Akshay Khobragade, Chief Operating Officer at Salam Kisan, PRYM Group in the presence of Dr. Sanjay Bhave, Vice Chancellor, Dr. Satish Narkhede, Dean & DI, Dr. P.U. Shahare, Associate Dean from DBSKKV Dapoli, and aims to address critical needs in modern agriculture. Established for a period of five years, the partnership provides a stable foundation for long-term initiatives.

The strategic goals of this partnership include strengthening the crop calendar by utilizing data-driven AI and machine learning solutions to optimize agricultural planning, allowing for more precise planting and harvesting schedules. It also aims to develop drone Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for the safe and effective use of drones in agriculture, addressing a current industry gap as limited such government SoPs exist. Additionally, the collaboration will deliver real-time pest and disease management solutions, offering farmers on-the-ground support to protect their crops. Finally, the partnership will focus on formulating and promoting natural farming practices to encourage sustainable, eco-friendly methods that support environmental health and long-term agricultural resilience.

The partnership will benefit agriculture graduates, researchers, farmers, policymakers, micro-entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders who are vital to building a resilient agricultural ecosystem.

Ms. Dhanashree Mandhani Founder & CEO of Salam Kisan commented “This partnership is critical for the future of sustainable agriculture in India. Known for its excellence in agricultural research, the state agricultural university brings invaluable knowledge to this collaboration. By combining DBSKKV’s rigorous research expertise with Salam Kisan’s advanced technological capabilities, we can deliver impactful, scalable solutions that uplift the agriculture sector as a whole. This alliance represents a meaningful step toward our commitment to transforming agriculture through accessible, sustainable technology. Together, we aim to drive substantial improvements in farming productivity and resilience, enhancing livelihoods and supporting rural entrepreneurship across the nation.”

The collaboration between Salam Kisan and DBSKKV

His work spans various sectors, including agriculture, financial services, retail, manufacturing, and energy.

Salam Kisan, a pioneering agri-tech platform, has onboarded Ranveer Chandra, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Microsoft (Agri-Food), as a strategic advisor to the company. Ranveer brings over 15 years of experience in technology, AI, networking, and systems, which will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Salam Kisan.

Dhanashree Mandhani, Founder & CEO of Salam Kisan, expressed enthusiasm about the appointment, “When I first met Ranveer and heard his passionate call to action, I knew I had found an incredible advisor, mentor, and friend. His expertise and vision have been invaluable to Salam Kisan over the past few months. His unparalleled expertise in agricultural technology and his vision for the future of farming align perfectly with our mission. We look forward to benefiting from his invaluable insights as we continue to innovate and expand our services to benefit farmers across the globe.”

At Salam Kisan, Ranveer will focus on several key areas, including providing technology and innovation advisory, overseeing research and development, and facilitating strategic partnerships and alliances. He will also spearhead market expansion and global outreach, offering advisory on digital transformation and contributing to thought leadership and advocacy.

 Ranveer Chandra, strategic advisor at Salam Kisan and CTO of Agri-Food at Microsoft, said, “I am excited to work with Salam Kisan in its efforts to transform agriculture through technology. The company’s commitment to empowering farmers resonates with my own passion for leveraging innovation to address global food security challenges. I look forward to continuing our work in making agriculture not just cool but also efficient, sustainable, and impactful.”

At Microsoft, Chandra leads a multidisciplinary team of researchers and engineers, driving cutting-edge innovations in cloud, networking, connectivity, and AI. His work spans various sectors, including agriculture, financial services, retail, manufacturing, and energy. This broad expertise will be crucial in guiding Salam Kisan in enhancing its tech-driven approach to enabling farmers.

This strategic appointment underscores Salam Kisan’s commitment to staying at the forefront of agricultural innovation and reinforces its position as a leader in the agri-tech space.

His work spans various sectors, including agriculture,

 Company projects an additional Rs 16 crore in revenue from drone spraying services and input sales during the upcoming Kharif season.

Salam Kisan, a pioneering agri-tech platform, has recorded a remarkable 11X growth in revenue for the fiscal year 2023-2024, reaching an impressive total of Rs 23.61 crore. This exponential growth showcases the company’s success in leveraging its operational efficiency in drones and technological capabilities to boost overall sales and profitability.

Salam Kisan projects an additional Rs 16 crore in revenue from drone spraying services and input sales during the upcoming Kharif season, driven by farmers’ increasing adoption of its application. The company has been bootstrapped with positive EBITDA since its inception, and Salam Kisan is expecting to raise its first round of investment to expand its business with drones and increase market penetration.

Offering services across 35 districts in Maharashtra, Salam Kisan covered 41,000 acres in drone spraying that generated a revenue of Rs 2.41 crore. The success of their drone services and real-time crop calendar with agri-input recommendations has boosted Salam Kisan’s agri-input sales, which recorded a significant Rs 5.41 crore. Additionally, the company’s buyback program for farmers using the Salam Kisan platform and services throughout the agricultural cycle offered linkages worth Rs 15.225 crore in FY 23-24. By onboarding over 80 FPOs, Salam Kisan makes their advanced agricultural technology accessible to a wider spectrum of farmers.

Salam Kisan is a multi-stack precision farming platform that helps farmers in making informed decisions. They provide an array of services that leverage technology and data insights to empower modern farming practices. These services include an AI-enabled crop calendar for tailored crop management, precision agriculture guidance, customized fertilizer dosage recommendations, drone rental for fertilizer and seed spraying, farm mapping, input product marketplace, farmers community, government convergence, agriculture news, traceability solutions, and guaranteed output procurement.

Over the past year and Q1 24-25, Salam Kisan, under its parent company PRYM Group, has invested Rs 9.1 crore in developing agricultural drones and precision farming software. These advancements enhance the company’s technological and operational capabilities, enabling farmers to use drones and advanced analytics to optimize crop yield and soil health. This investment significantly boosts farmers’ productivity and profitability. The company deployed over 50 drones and pilots in Maharashtra, saving at least 70 lakh liters of water through optimized drone-based spraying.

Dhanashree Mandhani, Founder & CEO of Salam Kisan, said, “Our exceptional growth and remarkable increase in revenue this fiscal year is a clear indication of our commitment to transforming the agricultural sector through innovation and technology. Our crop calendar, drone services, and precision farming tools have not only improved yields but have also redefined farming practices in India. Farmers using Salam Kisan have seen an incremental revenue of at least Rs 16,000 and a 30% cost saving each season. As we expand into Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, we intend to aid more farmers across India with our advanced agritech solutions.”

 Company projects an additional Rs 16 crore

FPOs will receive an assured incentive on each spraying order (acreage wise) while reducing input costs for farmers, improving operational efficiency, and conserving valuable resources.

With an aim to equip farmers with effective tech-enabled solutions, Salam Kisan, India’s fast-growing data-driven end to end agriculture platform that helps increase productivity and profitability for farmers, introduces a first-of-its-kind drone-based spraying service through FPOs on a rental basis for farmers in the Chandrapur district, Maharashtra. This groundbreaking initiative was unveiled by Sudhir Munagantiwar, Cabinet Minister of Finance & Planning, Forests, Government of Maharashtra during the Wild Vegetable Festival 2023 on Independence Day, and he hoisted the national flag using a drone provided by the company. With this initiative, Salam Kisan aims to equip farmers with cutting-edge technology that not only enhances their agricultural practices and promotes sustainable resource usage but also contributes to their economic well-being.

Under this initiative, Salam Kisan has collaborated with Farmers’ Producer Organizations (FPOs) to make drone spraying services easily accessible and affordable to a broader spectrum of farmers. By making drones an efficient and doorstep solution, the company intends to equip farmers with cutting-edge spraying capabilities for seamless pest management and precise use of agrochemicals. It also reduces water wastage by 85-90 per cent and product usage by 20-30 per cent, making strides toward sustainable agriculture.

At the same time, FPOs will receive an assured incentive on each spraying order (acreage wise). While reducing input costs for farmers, improving operational efficiency, and conserving valuable resources, this strategic initiative intends to provide FPOs with financial benefits and upliftment.

The event witnessed the presence of key dignitaries who have significantly contributed to India’s agricultural progress. Accompanying them were Salam Kisan’s special guides, including Akshay Khobragade, COO; Paresh Kullarkar, Agri-Operational Manager, and the pioneering drone pilots Raj Sidam and Amol Kohare.

Dhanashree Mandhani, Founder & CEO, Salam Kisan, said, “At Salam Kisan, we’re committed to empowering rural communities toward resilience and sustainability, and collaborations between public and private entities will be pivotal in implementing change at the grass-roots level.  Our national agriculture policy aims to set up 10,000 new FPOs by 2025 with a focus on revamping agriculture value chains and catalysing the growth of logistics in rural areas.”

“Usually, traditional pump spraying uses 100 – 120 liters of water per acre, and drone spraying uses 10 liters per acre. Traditional spraying is time-consuming and requires manual labor, while drone spraying takes 7 minutes. By making drone service accessible to farmers, we are helping reduce input costs, increase efficiency, and ensure farmers’ safety. At the core, we intend to benefit farmers, our agricultural ecosystem, and FPOs.”  stated Akshay Khobragade, COO, Salam Kisan. 

FPOs will receive an assured incentive on