Farmers learn by testing IoT-based irrigation, balancing nutrition and adopting regenerative practices alongside traditional method"

In an exclusive AgroSpectrum interview, S Soundararadjane, CEO of HyFarm, detailed how the company balances immediate farmer profitability with long-term resilience and global standards through its Paathshala demonstration farms. By combining cost savings, water efficiency, regenerative practices, and digital traceability, HyFarm ensures farmers earn more today while meeting ESG and quality benchmarks for the future. While currently focused on potatoes, Soundararadjane envisions adapting the model to other crops once the approach is proven at scale.

- S SOUNDARARADJANE, CEO of HyFarm

HyFarm's stated mission is to uplift farmer economics while building a globally competitive potato ecosystem. How do you balance short-term profitability for farmers with long-term resilience and global standards?

The HyFarm model balances short-term farmer gains with long-term global standards. For too long, Indian agriculture has swung between immediate survival and distant benchmarks, but we believe both must move together. Farmers see measurable benefits today—reduced cultivation costs, premium prices for processing-grade potatoes, and assured procurement. HyFarm Paathshala trials already show 30 per cent less water use, 15 per cent lower fertilizer inputs, and 12-15 per cent cost savings. Simultaneously, these practices generate traceable ESG data, future-proofing the value chain. Our formula is simple: profitability today, resilience tomorrow—farmers earn more now while the system aligns with world-class sustainability, traceability, and quality standards.

With a goal of collaborating with 30,000 farmers and procuring one million tonnes by 2028-29, what are the biggest execution challenges you foresee - and how do you plan to overcome them?