Empowering farmers with AI to Improve Incomes

A Case Study by Microsoft

About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of the
intelligent cloud and intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every
organization on the planet to achieve more. Microsoft set up its India operations in 1990.
Today, Microsoft entities in India have over 8,000 employees, engaged in sales and
marketing, research and development and customer services and support, across 11 cities –
Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, New Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Hyderabad, Kochi,
Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune. Microsoft offers its global cloud services from local datacentres
to accelerate digital transformation across Indian start-ups, businesses, and government
agencies. In 2016, Microsoft opened one of its eight Cyber Security Engagement Centers in
the country to address the security needs of both public and private sectors.

Over the years, Microsoft has played a significant role in the country’s technological, social
and economic evolution. Today, our efforts are aimed at making technology accessible to
every Indian.

Microsoft’s approach to AI
At Microsoft, we’re excited about the possibilities that Artificial Intelligence (AI) can enable
for people, organizations and the society at large. We’re committed to democratizing AI and
making it available for everyone to help improve lives and transform businesses. From
solving healthcare challenges to helping farmers increase crop yields, we endeavor to keep
people at the center of AI. In doing this, we aim to create an ethical foundation built on the
principles of Fairness, Accountability, Transparency and Ethics.

AI for Good
AI presents an incredible opportunity to leave a lasting, positive impact on the world. Our
work with organizations on the frontline of AI aims to create inclusive solutions for digital
transformation.

At Microsoft, we believe in the potential of AI for Good. Our AI-related work in India is
aimed at helping solve critical business and socio-economic challenges. Enabling partners,
empowering farmers or entrepreneurs and making Digital India a reality are key goals.

Committed to India’s digital transformation, Microsoft is working alongside the country’s

central and state governments to make cities smarter, deliver healthcare in remote locations,
empower rural communities facing drought and stagnant crop yields and improving
educational institutions across the nation.

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Some of our notable projects include:
 AI for Education: Working with the Andhra Pradesh government, Microsoft deployed
Azure machine learning to detect and predict high school student dropouts across 13
districts in the state. The system identifies students at risk, as well as the factors
contributing to their reasons for leaving school. This data is enabling the government to
implement policies aimed at school infrastructure, quality of instructors, and availability
of basic amenities such as water and electricity. The government hopes to leverage this
data to build policy tools to reduce the dropout rate in the future. Nearly 10,000 schools
in the state are now using cloud-based predictive analysis to ensure children do not drop
out of schools.

 AI for Agriculture: Uncertainty is a constant for rainfed farmers in India – even a week’s
delay can ruin the harvest and significantly impact a farmer’s annual yield. Since climate
change has made it harder to predict the best time to sow seeds for optimal yield,
Microsoft has worked with scientists at the International Crops Research Institute for the
Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in Hyderabad to deploy a cloud-based application for 175
farmers in 7 villages in Andhra Pradesh.

The Sowing app utilizes big data and predictive analytics to make accurate predictions
based on the weather patterns and soil conditions. Today, farmers in Andhra Pradesh
have access to weather forecasts, soil health checks, and expert fertilizer
recommendations via SMS alerts from the Cortana-based app to guide them through the
whole season.

 AI for Healthcare: Partnering with LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) in Hyderabad,

Microsoft has developed a machine-learning approach for prediction and progression of
refractive error in children and young adults.

MINE (Microsoft Intelligent Network for Eyecare), now part of Microsoft AI Network
for Healthcare, is a global network of eye care providers and academic institutions that
enables ophthalmologists to predict the regression rate for eye operations and take
preventive steps to treat visual impairments. MINE combines anonymous medical
records and therapy data from healthcare providers to predict the progression of
refractive errors over a two-year period.

We are also collaborating with Apollo Hospitals in Chennai to develop cardiac-related

AI algorithms that enable doctors to begin treatment while the disease is at a nascent
stage. We believe that with AI and cloud-computing, monitoring and predictive analysis
can be delivered on a large scale for better healthcare interventions.

Case Overview
Can digital tools transform agriculture? Can technology be used to improve the livelihood of
impoverished farmers? Can AI help farmers identify optimal crop income opportunities
(crop-portunities)? This is precisely what digital agriculture is all about.

Today, despite the vital role farmers play in food security, most of them struggle to make a
living. Over 2.7 million farmers in India have succumbed to the pressures of poverty since

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19951. Though government subsidies provide some relief, most small and marginal farmers
are deprived of access to mainstream services.
Today, there is an urgent need for supporting farmers with reliable, convenient, and
sustainable solutions to address these challenges.

Identifying crop-portunities
A digital agriculture tool to advice farmers on the most optimal crop to sow can help them
invest their resources judiciously to cultivate high-value crops that enhance their income.
The tool should predict prices of agricultural commodities before the sowing season and
help farmers determine which crop to sow in the upcoming season.

The multivariate tool must take into consideration a host of factors such as:
 Remote-sensing data
 Geostationary satellite images to predict crop yields through every stage of farming
 Moisture Adequacy Index (MAI)

It must analyze this data along with various conventional inputs such as
 Farm produce and yield history
 Weather forecast
 Demand-supply equation
 Market trends

On the basis of the resultant price forecasting, the tool should advise farmers on which crop
to sow to maximize their incomes.

Problem Statement

1. Based on Global benchmarks, propose a plan to build a system that advises farmers on the
most optimal crop to grow on any acreage of land to maximize income opportunities.

2. The solution should be multivariate – considering conventional factors such as demand-

supply behaviour and weather conditions. It should also consider unconventional factors
such as remote sensing, moisture in the given acreage, and consumer trends.

Format
• The case analysis document must be in MS Word/PDF format (.doc/.docx/.pdf)
• Must not exceed 2000 words (excluding exhibits and excel sheets)
• Font Type: Arial/ Calibri with text size of 11

Appendix
 Digital Agriculture: Farmers in India are using AI to increase crop yields
 Microsoft AI + The Yield
 Enabling Precision Agriculture with AI – Microsoft’s FarmBeats Program
 Microsoft FarmBeats
 FarmBeats: An IoT Platform for Data-Driven Agriculture

1 https://www.firstpost.com/india/farmers-suicides-at-least-270-940-farmers-have-ended-their-
lives-since-1995-2180933.html

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