Project Overview
About Project
Despite various government efforts, organic farming adoption remains low in Maharashtra due to inefficient systems, knowledge gaps, and fragmented market access.
The Panjabrao Deshmukh Organic Farming Mission (PDOFM), launched in 2018, aimed to bridge this gap but faced significant implementation challenges.
Problem Statement
Farmers in Maharashtra struggle to adopt organic farming despite government initiatives due to lack of training, limited access to resources, weak market connections, and poor policy implementation, leading to financial instability and hindering sustainable agriculture.
My Role
As a UX Designer & Researcher, I led the design and conceptualization of Ankur app with system design ensuring it effectively addresses real-world challenges faced by farmers.
Focus
My focus in this project was to analyze systemic gaps in organic farming implementation and design a policy
implementation framework that enhances training, resource accessibility, and market connectivity for farmers.
The Research
Understanding the Systemic Gaps in Organic Farming
To design an effective system for organic farming implementation, I conducted extensive UX research, focusing on farmers, policymakers, and market stakeholders.
Agriculture in India
Green Revolution
Chemical Inputs & High Yielding
Varieties. Improved Food Security,
Start of Environmental Issues.
Post-Green Revolution Era
Rising Chemical Dependency
& Environmental Degradation.
Early Sustainable Initiatives
Small Organic Farming Efforts,
High Costs, Low Adoption.
Government Push
National Mission on Sustainable
Agriculture, Slow Adoption.
Current Status
Growing Awareness,
Major Challenges Persist.
Why Vidarbha, Maharashtra?
Panjabrao Deshmukh Organic Farming Mission (2018)
I focused on Vidarbha, Maharashtra, home to the Panjabrao Deshmukh Organic Farming Mission (PDOFM) a key government initiative tackling organic farming challenges. While India faces complex issues in sustainable agriculture, targeted interventions like PDOFM offer real potential for scalable, impactful change.
Why Vidarbha, Maharashtra?
Surveyed about 180 on-ground civil society organizations involved in the promotion of various SAPSs in India.
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Majority of CSOs focus on organic farming.
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Significant activity in natural farming, vermicomposting, IPM, and agroforestry.
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Limited focus on precision farming and integrated systems.
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Maharashtra is the leading state for CSO activity; few in Punjab and Haryana.
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CSOs provide training, capacity building, and technology transfer.
Interviews
User Persona
Empathy Map
User Journey Map
8M Framework for Agriculture
Concept
Rethinking of PDOFM system
Gaps Identified in the Existing System
Manual processes lead to delays and errors, with no centralized database.
Limited flexibility for farmers to choose groups based on shared interests or goals.
Lack of digital or repeatable learning materials for remote farmers.
Limited availability of organic inputs and insufficient transparency in pricing.
Lack of continuous monitoring and digital tools to track compliance.
Tedious, time-consuming, and lacks real-time status updates for farmers.
Limited buyer connections and insufficient insights into market trends.
Minimal focus on branding and packaging to increase product appeal.
Concept of Digital Ecosystem
Information Architecture
Typography
Wireframes
80+ App Screens
Onboarding
An illustration of 3 major goals of this App-
Join the Mission,
Learn & Thrive,
Get Certified
These onboarding screens set the stage for a positive user experience by clearly communicating the app’s value proposition and guiding farmers through the initial steps.
Login / Signup
Offering Indian language options ensures accessibility and inclusivity, allowing farmers to navigate the app comfortably in their preferred regional language, enhancing user experience and engagement.
The login by phone number option provides a simple, secure, and familiar method for farmers to access the app, ensuring ease of use and wider adoption among users who may not have email access.
Activation by phone number
Red signals error, ensuring quick user attention to incorrect OTP.
The login by phone number option provides a simple, secure, and familiar method for farmers to access the app, ensuring ease of use and wider adoption among users who may not have email access.
Homescreen
Using star-rated profiles for farmers showcases their achievements in sustainable practices, motivating them and others. Notifications in the top bar provide timely updates, ensuring farmers stay informed on important activities and milestones.
Including a horizontal scroll of bulletins with agricultural tech news after the top bar keeps farmers updated on the latest advancements, trends, and innovations in the field, fostering knowledge growth and informed decision-making.
Horizontal scroll for indicating division of crop fields
Alert About the land crop condition and necessary steps to take.
Other Screens
