A transformational business directly and positively impacting the agri community

The power of RML..

A progressive farmer from Madhya Pradesh set up a small dairy to supplement the earnings from the agriculture. He chose the Jersey breed, quite unlikely in the area and set up a shed for 10 cows. The decision was validated when his monthly net profit went to Rs. 30,000. Reuters Market Light published this information to their subscribers through a simple SMS in Hindi:

बहा�दुर सिं�हा ठा�कु� र9981827471 ने� 10ज�� गा�यो� �� डे�योर� फा�र्म� खो�ला�।दूध दे�ने� कु� क्षर्मता�16ला�टर/दिदेने।जिज��� शु�द्ध र्म�ने�फा� Rs30,000/र्म�हा कुर्म�यो�.

Bahadur Singh was overwhelmed as he received over 500 calls from farmers in almost every corner of the state. Bahadur Singh was exhausted but satisfied for he had become the role model for hundreds of farmers. -Bahadur Singh ThakurMadhya Pradesh

On publishing of News by RML about the achievements in Organic farming and Vermicompost manufacture, a farmer received more than hundred calls from farmers belonging to different parts of Karnataka to know in detail about the practices, few farmers had even visited his farm to know about in person. He was overwhelmed and happy to know about his contribution and service to the farming community- Shivamma organic farmer from Shimoga district in Karnataka.

RML SMS informed Maharashtra farmers of one of the best rose farmers and he received over 700 calls to know more about the floriculture that fetches Rs. 100,000 per acre. More than 200 farmers paid visit to his rose farm to get first hand information and knowledge about the floriculture. - D. G. Kathe from Nasik district

Consumer Impact

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Impact Assessment

Journey so far

The Need….

What price should I expect for MY crop?

When should I harvest and where should I sell MY crop?

What is the likely weather condition in MY district?

How can I boost MY productivity?

Where do I get insurance, loan or the subsidy from?

Hence, a need to develop a scalable agri information model that could reach millions of farmers in a cost effective, self sustainable manner while providing for individual farmer level personalization of

information.

Lack of timely, unbiased, localized and accurate

information

Avenues to easily purchase / access this information in an easy

to use format

High dependency on the middlemen and a

patchy network of ad-hoc information

sources

Economic and

Emotional pain for

the farmer

By one estimate, a farmer in India gets only 20-

25% price of their final produce vis-à-vis 40-50% in the developed world.

Nearly 60 percent of the working population

makes its living from agriculture

• The Idea and Research Phase

• Seed Funding & Research with hundreds of farmers all over India.

• Small scale market trials funding - A small scale service is run in Maharashtra along with running an ethnography study

2005 / 2006

• Launch in Maharashtra in October 2007 – RML was launched as a business

• RML launched in Punjab

2007 / 2008• Launch of RML Direct

- RML launches an award-winning first ever card for Micro-information Services designed specifically for the farming community.

• Partnership with Idea Cellular

• Partnership with Biostadt

• Pan India expansion - RML expands content operations in 13 states of the country.

2009 • Launch of the first crop specific product – RML Potato.

• RML wins six awards including The World Business Development Award (WBDA) from the UNDP, ICC and IBLF.

2010 • Rapid scale –up

• RML Impact validated through studies conducted by various independent organizations like World Bank, USAID, GIZ, LBS

• RML crosses the 1 million unique registered consumers mark

2011 / 2012

RML’s Journey…

About RML

Impact Assessment

Journey so far

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Reuters Market Light (RML) is a pioneering, multi-award winning service providing personalized agri information over mobile phones to agri community 1 million unique subscribers estimated 50,000 villages 17 states 600 crop varieties 3,000 weather locations 1,300 markets

1 million unique subscribers estimated 50,000 villages 17 states 600 crop varieties 3,000 weather locations 1,300 marketsService Highlights 8 languages Local content Simple user interface On all telecom operators &

handsets

Impact Assessment

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Easy to use product experience

2. Scratch Card

3. Call a toll free number

Service Starts

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Impact Assessment

About RML

Designed to provide a very easy to use product experience

1. Purchase Card

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RML creates, aggregates and disseminates best in class agri content

Market Prices: • Several hundred on-ground

reporters• World class data quality processes

Fastest and most accurate market prices

Local Weather: • Partnerships with IMD & private players• Cross-validation of weather forecasts

Accurate local weather forecasts along with weather based advisory

Advisory & Intelligence: • In-house experts at state and national

level• Partnerships with agri research

institutions and universities

Relevant, actionable and easily understandable information

Impact Assessment

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About RML

Impact Assessment

Journey so far

Impact Assessment: Farmer testimonials

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Price information - Nathuji Singh Gaud; Khargone .“he was puzzled when cotton prices were low in mid December & he didn’t know whether to hold or sell the

crop as the prices were fluctuating. "Then I started getting news from RML that the prices will increase. Its what I was seeking for… he sold 40 quintal of

his crop at profit of Rs 76,000 when prices were Rs 6,200/Q. I am so happy

with RML news that I extended the services from one month to three

months’’

Agri information - “I received the name and phone number of the

local officer to get the seed subsidy. I was able to act on the

information immediately.”

Crop advisory -“Anilbhai, Badla, GujaratI grow Cotton and Castor crop. I like RML

Crop Advisory. My cotton crop was affected by red spot disease this year. I

got a message from RML to spray pesticide to control the problem. On spraying as recommended, my crop recovered. My crop is better due to

messages received from RML. I have also benefitted by the prices message that

RML sends”

Weather based advisory - “I got message on relative humidity

going up to 70%. As a precaution, I put a spray of Rs.

500. My friend did not know this. He lost nearly Rs. 4 lakh of

his crop that day.”

Impact Assessment

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Impact Assessment: Farmer testimonials (Gujarat)

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Pravin Singh Chandbha, Surendranagar, Gujarat

My cotton crop had infested with Mealy bug and I had got message timely message from

RML to control it. By adopting chemicals recommended by RML , I could save INR 2 lakh. I am thankful to RML from providing

me timely information.

 Raghavji Methabhai, Junagadh, Gujarat

I am doing lemon cultivation since last 17 year but was not able to get right/good price for my

produce. Since last 1.5 year , I am RML consumer and got tremendous benefit from the market price.

Earlier I was selling my produce in local market but after activating RML, I have started getting

prices for other market which helps me to decide the market and time to sell my produce. i have got very good profit from getting information

related to my crop and thankful to RML.

Pravinbhai, Jamnagar, GujaratI am using RML service since last 3 year.

During 1st year , I got it from GGRC. I like this service and recharged 2 times. I got many benefit from RML. I have asked query for wheat and I got

100% result from that. I get all information of cotton and sesame. In sesame I got 17 mann per bigha

higher production, which was higher than previous production. This service is useful always. I will be continuing in it.

Impact Assessment

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Impact Assessment: Success Stories..

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Impact Assessment

About RML

किकु��ने र्मध��(देने ध�कुड़ ने� कि*प ईरिरगा�शुने कु� उपयो�गा लाहा��ने कु� फा�ला पर किकुयो�।उत्प�देने 30% बढा�।प�ने� 60%कुर्म लागा�।गा�णवत्ता� बढा4 8120617103.

This news generated over 150 calls and 7-8 farmers from Khargone, Dewas and Harda districts traveled to his farm to know more about Drip Irrigation and how it enhances the production and makes economy of water. “This visit of farmers to my farm enhanced my reputation in the village. It’s all because of RML,” said Madhusudan Dhakad.

************* According to P. K. Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer, District Udham Singh Nagar, he received over 70 calls from the farmers when RML informed its subscribers via SMS that subsidy on paddy thresher is available. The officer, who had initially consented to publish his telephone number, was taken aback as the department did not have adequate supply of thresher to meet the farmers demand. He, however, was excited with the power of RML and agreed to share relevant and important information with RML, which would positively impact farmers in the state.

Marketing

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Independent validation of RML impact -

Impact Assessment

About RML

Few other recognitions by institutions of excellence in India and around the world…

“RML helps farmers get clarity on the prices their produce

would fetch, when they should harvest crops and the likely weather conditions besides

availability of crop insurance.”

“This data suggests that the RML service can

significantly increase the availability of price

information for farmers”

“What we are seeing in RML is the front end of a learning curve where the

younger and more progressive farmers are learning to exploit the

technology,”

“Innovative work of RML in India is spearheading a service

where farmers receive information on the price of crops at markets of their

choice…” RML recognized at the WEF in Davos - 2010

UNDP awards for achievement of

Millennium Development Goals in 2008 and 2010

“RML service was perceived as providing information that was better tailored to the subscriber

and was considered easy to access” – ICRIER study (2010)

on agri information services

FT & JustMeans

Social Innovation Award in

2010

Mention in Nandan Nilekani's book 'Imagining India'

Prof. C.K. Prahalad's

path-breaking book "Fortune at the

Bottom of the Pyramid"

Case Studies…

And many more…

Accenture Report – Masters of Rural India showcases

RML as one of the 3 successful rural

brands alongside Unilevers and Hero

Honda

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Impact Assessment

About RML

Awarded to RML Cardas Runner-up in the Private Sector - Agriculture & Allied

Activities 

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For more information, please visit www.reutersmarketlight.com

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For more information, please visit www.reutersmarketlight.com

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Impact Assessment: Independent USAID – ACDI/VOCA PIKA study – change in information sourcing behavior

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Before Project intervention

Preferred sources of information for farmers

More than 90% farmers showed willingness to continue the services

After Project intervention

Impact Assessment

About RML

Impact Assessment: Independent GIZ study – change in information sourcing behavior

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Information Source During RML Subscription

Preferred sources of information for farmers

Almost 90% farmers showed willingness to continue the services

Normal Information Source

Impact Assessment

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Impact Assessment: NABARD IMRB study – highly satisfied consumers

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SatisfactionWhether would like to continue

Recommend to other farmers

Yes - 89%No - 11% Extremely

Satisfied

Somewhat Satisfied

Somewhat Dissatisfied

Extremely Dissatisfied

Impact Assessment

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Impact Assessment: Few examples of Farmer Surveys – actionable and relevant content

Farmer feedback on benefits realized Farmers use various components of RML service as per their needs

Key Insights 100% farmers are satisfied and they took

decisions on the basis of RML information 80% farmers fetched higher prices for their

produce 78% percent farmers could save their money 80% farmers realized incremental productivity

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Key Insights Every farmer has been benefitted

from RML from one or more content RML Services brought in the

behavioral change; farmers are trying new things and calling up RML toll free for additional information

Impact Assessment

About RML