Client Background

Agriculture in India is evolving with new techniques, digital innovations, and improved crop management practices, yet many smallholder farmers lack awareness and access to these advancements. Reliance on traditional farming methods often leads to missed opportunities in yield optimization, climate resilience, and pest management.

Digital Green, is a global development organization that leverages technology to empower farmers. The organization collaborates with state governments and receives funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Economic Forum to develop technology-driven advisory systems aimed at improving agricultural practices.

Project Overview

At scale, this program was implemented across the southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, supporting over 15,000 farmers through AI-driven WhatsApp chatbots. The initiative focused on providing real-time, data-driven advisories to help farmers manage key crops such as Paddy, Chilli, Groundnut, Cotton, and Bengal Gram.

As Program Manager, I led the design, implementation, and management of WhatsApp-based AI chatbot program using Glific, integrating NLP (Natural Language Processing), IVR (Interactive Voice Response). My role focused on workflow automation, API integrations, user engagement analytics, and system scalability, ensuring seamless onboarding and optimizing chatbot interactions across multiple state-level agricultural programs.

Challenges on the Ground

Despite the rise in smartphone adoption, farmers still struggle to access real-time, reliable advisory services for weather, pests, soil health, and crop management. The slow evolution of agricultural information systems limits informed decision-making.

Key challenges faced by farmers include:

• Limited Awareness of Modern Farming Practices → Farmers rely on traditional knowledge over scientific methods.
• Language Barriers → Advisory content in English or Hindi limits access for regional language speakers.
• Lack of Resources for Large-Scale Outreach → Government and NGOs lack manpower for scalable one-on-one advisory.
• No Centralized Advisory Platform → Farmers get fragmented information with no structured, interactive system.

Recognizing these challenges, Digital Green, in collaboration with Glific, aimed to transform the way farmers receive and interact with advisory services by leveraging WhatsApp as a scalable, AI-driven communication platform.

Chatbot Solution

To address these challenges, Glific, a SaaS-based WhatsApp chatbot platform, was leveraged to deliver automated, real-time advisories through AI-driven workflows, reducing the need for human intervention. Supporting regional languages, it made advisory services more accessible, ensuring better engagement. The platform enabled NGOs and governments to scale outreach, reaching thousands of farmers instantly while facilitating two-way communication, allowing farmers to ask questions, share updates, and receive personalized recommendations.

Ryss Project (Andhra Pradesh)

The RySS Farmer Chatbot was launched in Andhra Pradesh as a collaboration between Digital Green (DG) and RySS (Rythu Sadhikara Samstha) to provide AI-driven crop advisories to farmers through WhatsApp automation and IVR (Interactive Voice Response) calls. This initiative aimed to deliver timely, actionable guidance to farmers growing the following five crops: Paddy, Chilli, Groundnut, Cotton, Bengal Gram

With an initial target of 5,000 farmers, the project was designed to personalize crop advisory messages, improve farmer engagement, and scale agritech adoption efficiently. The chatbot and IVR system were configured in Telugu to ensure accessibility and maximize farmer participation.

WhatsApp Chatbot Implementation

The chatbot was developed to provide structured and automated crop advisories through two key mechanisms:

1. Push-Based Advisory System
   • Farmers enrolled in the chatbot by selecting their crop and current growth stage via WhatsApp.
   • Once enrolled, they received scheduled automated advisory messages, tailored to their crop stage and seasonal requirements.
   • Messages were optimized based on farmer engagement metrics, ensuring they were delivered at the most effective times:
     • 7:00 AM for paddy farmers
     • 6:00 PM for chilli farmers
   • The push messages guided farmers on best practices for irrigation, fertilization, and pest management.
2. Pull-Based Advisory System
   • Farmers could access advisory content anytime by interacting with the chatbot.
   • By selecting their crop type and growth stage, they received relevant, action-based recommendations instantly.
   • This system ensured farmers had continuous access to agricultural guidance, eliminating reliance on manual advisories.

Additionally, the chatbot encouraged farmer participation by:

• Checking their willingness to adopt the advisories.
• Asking them to share images of their farms for better crop monitoring.

IVR Integration for Farmer Onboarding & Awareness

To expand the reach of the RySS Farmer Chatbot, IVR (Interactive Voice Response) technology was integrated using Exotel, a SaaS-based IVR platform, to raise awareness, onboard farmers, and increase adoption of the WhatsApp-based advisory system.

• Automated IVR Calls in Telugu → Pre-recorded Exotel calls introduced the chatbot program and its benefits.
• Opt-in via Keypad Input → Farmers pressed a key to confirm participation and subscribe to WhatsApp advisories.
• Seamless Onboarding → Opted-in farmers were automatically enrolled and received timely updates.
• Engaging Less Digitally-Savvy Farmers → IVR bridged the gap for those less comfortable with texting, boosting adoption.

By leveraging Exotel’s IVR automation alongside WhatsApp chatbots, the program ensured higher farmer engagement and accessibility, making advisory services more inclusive and impactful.

Program Planning & Execution

• Crop Calendar Integration → Chatbot messages aligned with Andhra Pradesh’s crop calendar for stage-specific advisories.
• Language & Accessibility → Telugu-based bot and IVR underwent extensive validation with RySS and field teams.
• WhatsApp Message Approval → Push messages required multiple iterations for WhatsApp Business API compliance.
• Automated Flow Architecture → A modular chatbot and IVR framework enabled scalability and easy updates.

Impact & Learnings

• The project successfully onboarded 5,900+ farmers, with target to scale to 19,000 farmers.
• IVR-based awareness and opt-in strategy increased farmer participation for WhatsApp chatbot.
• Farmers gained instant access to automated advisories, reducing their dependency on manual support from field teams.
• The IVR system improved reach, allowing farmers with low digital literacy to receive advisories via voice calls.
• The scalable chatbot and IVR model set the foundation for expanding AI-driven agritech solutions across other crops and regions.

By leveraging WhatsApp automation, AI-driven insights, IVR technology, and farmer engagement strategies, the RySS Farmer Chatbot and IVR System have proven to be effective digital advisory tools, empowering farmers to make informed decisions and improve agricultural productivity in Andhra Pradesh.

Saagu Baagu Project (Telangana)

The Saagu Baagu initiative, led by Telangana government, focuses on providing AI-driven advisory services to chilli and paddy farmers. Leveraging Glific’s AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot, the project in partnership with digital green delivers timely, automated crop advisories, enhancing farmer engagement and decision-making. This initiative has positively impacted over 7,000 farmers, demonstrating the effectiveness of integrating technology into agriculture.

WhatsApp Chatbot Implementation

To enhance farmer engagement, a WhatsApp chatbot was developed with both push and pull-based mechanisms:

• Push-Based Advisory – Automated crop advisory messages were scheduled (7 AM for paddy, 6 PM for chilli)
• Pull-Based Advisory – Farmers accessed on-demand recommendations by selecting their crop & growth stage.
• Interactive Learning → Encouraged farmers to act, share farm images, and receive feedback for better decisions.

Weather Forecasting Integration

To support data-driven decision-making, the chatbot was integrated with Tomorrow.io weather API, enabling real-time, location-based 7-day weather forecasts via WhatsApp.

• GPS-Based Weather Updates → Farmers sent coordinates to receive personalized forecasts.
• Weekly Insights → Weather updates with crop-specific recommendations helped plan irrigation, pest control, and harvesting.

Impact & Learnings

• 7,000+ farmers gained access to automated, AI-driven advisories, improving decision-making.
• Farmers received expert guidance on crop management, ensuring better productivity.
• Weather-based insights and recommendations helped farmers adapt to climate conditions proactively.
• The WhatsApp chatbot streamlined advisory services, reducing manual intervention.
• Demonstrated scalable agritech adoption, setting the foundation for future digital advisory programs.

NLP Powered Voice-Based Chatbot

This program supported smallholder chilli farmers in Andhra Pradesh by delivering timely pest advisories via a WhatsApp-based voice chatbot. Since many struggled with text interactions, a voice-first approach improved engagement and accessibility.

The chatbot enabled two-way communication through voice inputs, with text as a fallback. Built on Glific, it integrated with NavanaTech for voice-to-text conversion in regional languages.

Technology & Implementation

• NLP & AI-Powered Voice Recognition
  • Farmers sent voice messages, which were converted to text using NavanaTech’s trained AI model.
  • The chatbot interpreted transcribed queries and provided context-based responses using machine learning.
• AI-Driven Communication Flow
  • Responses were dynamically tailored based on farmer interactions and engagement patterns.
  • Automated follow-ups were triggered for farmers who missed responses.

Impact & Learnings

• Seamless voice-enabled advisory services with NLP-driven automation.
• Enhanced farmer engagement through WhatsApp + AI-powered voice recognition.
• Automated, scalable advisory system, reducing manual intervention.
• Successful pilot implementation, with plans for expansion to other crops and advisory use cases.

This project demonstrated how AI, NLP, and Glific’s chatbot infrastructure can revolutionize digital advisory services for farmers, making agricultural guidance more accessible, scalable, and effective.

Data Insights & KPI Development

To measure chatbot performance and farmer engagement, we leveraged Google BigQuery for data storage and Google Data Studio for real-time visualization. This enabled continuous tracking and optimization of advisory services.

I defined and monitored key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess project impact, guiding data-driven improvements.

Key Implementations

• Google BigQuery – Stored chatbot interaction data, including farmer queries, response rates, and engagement trends.
• Google Data Studio – Designed custom dashboards for real-time insights, accessible to NGOs and government partners.
• KPI Identification & Monitoring
  • Engagement Metrics – Number of farmers onboarded, active users, and retention rate.
  • Response Accuracy – Effectiveness of NLP models in understanding farmer queries.
  • Conversion & Adoption Rates – Percentage of farmers acting upon advisories received.
  • IVR & WhatsApp Opt-In Success – Effectiveness of IVR onboarding campaigns in increasing chatbot adoption.
  • Regional Insights – Data segmentation by crop type, language preferences, and geographic distribution to tailor advisory services.

Role & Impact

As Program Manager, I led the design, implementation, and optimization of AI-driven WhatsApp chatbots, integrating NLP, IVR (Exotel), and weather-based advisories (Tomorrow.io) to enhance farmer engagement. I collaborated with state governments, NGOs, and global organizations to scale chatbot adoption, improve accessibility, and drive data-driven decision-making. Additionally, I managed cross-functional teams, ensuring seamless execution and continuous innovation.

Key Skills Demonstrated

• Stakeholder Collaboration & Project Management (Govt Partnerships, NGOs, BMGF, WEF, Large-Scale Adoption)
• Team Management & Leadership (Cross-Functional Collaboration, Engineering & AI Teams, Agile Execution)
• Conversational AI & Chatbot Deployment (Glific, Automated Advisory Workflows, Interactive Engagement)
• AI & NLP Integration (Voice-to-Text AI, Multilingual NLP Models, Exotel IVR)
• Scalable Tech & Platform Utilization (WhatsApp Business API, IVR Integration, Weather APIs – Tomorrow.io)
• Data Analytics & Optimization (Google BigQuery, Data Studio, Engagement KPIs, Trend Analysis)
• Scalability & Performance Engineering (Optimized Chatbot Response Flow, High Availability, Minimal Downtime)
• User Engagement & Adoption Strategy (Multilingual Support, Voice-Assisted Advisory, Farmer Participation & Retention)
• Regulatory Compliance & Data Security (WhatsApp Business API Policies, Regional Data Security Standards)
• Feature Rollout & Deployment Strategy (Chatbot Versioning, API Integrations, Continuous Enhancements)

Recognition & Global Impact

My work in AI-driven WhatsApp chatbot solutions for agriculture received national and international recognition for its impact on smallholder farmers and digital innovation in agritech.

• Felicitated at the National Workshop on Digital Innovations for Chilli Farmers (8th February 2023, Guntur, India) for contributions to WhatsApp-based advisory systems and AI-driven engagement strategies.

• Highlighted in the World Economic Forum’s June 2023 AgriTech Report for advancing AI-driven agritech solutions and their social impact on farming communities. (Read More)

Outcome Reach & Media Coverage

The impact of these projects has been featured in leading global publications, bringing attention to the role of AI, NLP, and WhatsApp automation in agriculture:

• Forbes – Discussed how Indian farmers use AI-powered WhatsApp chatbots and real-time weather insights to enhance crop yield. (Read More)
• DeepLearning.AI – Highlighted how AI-driven advisory services are improving chilli farming in India. (Read More)
• World Economic Forum – Showcased the Saagu Baagu initiative for scaling AI-driven agritech solutions. (Read More)
• The New Indian express – Recognized for benefiting 49,000 chilli farmers in Andhra Pradesh. (Read More)