(Panchkula)
Revolutionizing Indian Agriculture through Innovation
(Akarshak Saafron Institute, Akarshak Hydroponics, Akarshak Cordyceps, Kanika Microgreens)
Today’s evolving agriculture industry is driven by technological advancements and growing demand for sustainable farming practices. Cementing its position as a leader in advanced farming solutions, Akarshak Institute of Advanced Farming (AIAF) is a trailblazing organization, redefining the future of farming in India.
With its expertise in cutting-edge techniques such as Hydroponic farming, Indoor saffron cultivation, multilayer organic farming, microgreens and cordyceps cultivation, AIAF is shaping the future of farming. Since its establishment in 2018, this young and dynamic MSME organization with origins in Noida has successfully served the needs of numerous clients across India and worldwide, providing training programs, consulting services, and firm setup expertise. It continues to innovate and deliver top-notch solutions, empowering farmers and agricultural professionals to accomplish their goals. The company made a strategic relocation to Panchkula, Haryana, a thriving twin city of Chandigarh, around a year ago.
The Inspiration behind AIAF’s Inception
The man behind the venture, Ramesh Gera has had a remarkable journey over the years. Initially, he belonged to a family that was into agriculture and farming, where farming was taken as the least preferred profession due to its uncertainties and climatic fluctuations.
Being an engineer by profession, Ramesh had a 35-year work tenure that took him to many nations, including Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and several European and African countries for official assignments. During his travels, he seized opportunities to visit farms on weekly off days and holidays and learnt about many types of advanced farming techniques which are highly lucrative and profitable business options.
Inspired by these innovations, Ramesh decided to dedicate his post-retirement life to transforming the agricultural landscape in the country. At the age of 58, he took retirement and embarked on this new journey to spread knowledge and encourage farmers towards advanced farming practices.
Overcoming the Obstacles
AIAF identifies the biggest obstacle to achieving success as the lack of knowledge on advanced farming subjects. To overcome this obstacle, he harnessed his engineering background to develop small model equipment for experimentation. The leading man transformed his home into a farming lab, conducting trials and tests and investing major time, energy, and resources. With a combination of literature review, site visits, and interactions with farmers, he gained valuable insights and expertise. By learning from successes and failures, he could make logical use of his replaced experiences, finally achieving major success in his endeavors’.
The Key Differentiating Factors
Ramesh’s commitment to serving the nation, his vision for shifting from traditional farming practices to advanced farming, and his mission to create new work and employment opportunities for Indian youths are the key factors that distinguish AIAF in the domain. As an engineer-turned-farmer, his background has proven to be a significant advantage, empowering him to harness engineering principles to boost innovation in advanced farming techniques.
Distinctive Marketing Strategies
Ramesh’s approach to marketing is focused on the power of word-of-mouth. AIAF has built a solid reputation in the industry, providing immediate and effective attention to customer issues free of any additional charges. Additionally, the organization leverages social media platforms like a YouTube channel, Google My Business, and its website to reach a wider audience. These strategies have proven to be highly effective in promoting AIAF’s service.
Addressing Clients’ Key Concerns
Clients mostly face obstacles in setting up the right setup for advanced farming with the right technology, procuring healthy, high-quality seeds, and marketing their products at reasonably good prices. AIAF addressed these challenges by connecting them with reliable parties, vetting them through online platforms to ensure authenticity, and selecting parties that meet client needs on favorable terms.
Advanced Technologies and Innovations in Farming
AIAF is at the forefront of the industry, continuously introducing new high-value crops and cost-effective technologies. This year, the organization has introduced indoor cordyceps cultivation in a controlled climate greenhouse, showcasing its commitment to pushing the boundaries of advancement in farming. Some of the AIAF’s most popular programs include indoor saffron cultivation through the aeroponics technique, multilayer organic farming, turmeric cultivation, hydroponic farming and Cordyceps cultivation. All these subjects are unique examples of technological advancements with innovative ideas.
Nurturing a Positive Work Culture
AIAF’s work culture is built on the principles of 3Tr – Truth, Trust and Transparency. The organization treats its employees as its most precious assets and strives to create a friendly and supportive work atmosphere. For this, AIAF often takes initiatives like timely recognition and rewards for employees’ achievements in the presence of their families, scholarships to the wards of employees, and providing support during difficult situations. These efforts together promote a culture of appreciation, trust and camaraderie, making the workplace a positive and productive space for all.
AIAF’s Mission, Vision and Values
AIAF envisions transforming inefficient traditional Indian agricultural and farming systems and practices to low-cost, resource-efficient, advanced techniques with lucrative returns. Its sole mission is to create highpaying agro-entrepreneurial work opportunities for educated youth of India, contribute to the nation’s development and align with the Prime Minister’s vision of a developed India by 2047. The organization operates on the principles of 3Tr – Truth, Trust and Transparency – in its interactions with employees, suppliers and customers.
Notable Achievements and Road Ahead
AIAF takes great pride in its achievement of developing advanced aeroponics techniques for indoor Saffron cultivation. This significant breakthrough has gained significant attention, with individuals and organizations from across India and abroad looking to learn from the institute’s expertise.
AIAF Spreading Its Wings to the Outside World
Moving on its path, the firm has recently collaborated with a Dubai-based Indian firm on mega-sized polyhouse-based Hydroponic farming projects. Together, they have planned to expand operations across the UAE and other neighbouring nations, further establishing AIAF’s robust presence in the region. AIAF is in advanced discussions with like-minded organisations in Mauritius to establish a state-of-the-art training centre, offering comprehensive courses in advanced farming practices. A partnership is expected to be finalised soon.
Dynamic Leadership Team
AIAF is led by a team of expert professionals who work together to drive the firm’s mission and vision forward. At the helm, Devasish Vartak is the CEO and a Mechanical Engineering graduate with about 30 years of expertise in management consultancy from giant MNCs. Saurabh Tewari, an M.Sc. holder in Computer Science, heads the company’s IT department. The agriculture department is headed by Ankit Kumar, an M.Sc. holder in Horticulture and an expert agronomist.
Leadership Insights: Success Tips
Ramesh advises aspiring entrepreneurs to focus on core values that drive success. These include remaining honest and fair with the customers, providing lifelong support without additional charges, staying updated with the latest technological advancements, treating employees like family, and adhering to the timelines and budgets.
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