From Soil To Success : Empowering Farmers Through Innovation | Parashram Akhare | TEDxGCEK

Parashram Kailas Akhare's talk reflects his journey from a rural background and engineering education to working closely with farmers through his initiative, Krushi Sarathi. While agriculture continues to be the backbone of our country, the everyday realities faced by farmers often remain overlooked, including uncertain rainfall, rising cultivation costs, and limited access to reliable markets. Through his work on the ground, he has closely observed these challenges and the gap that exists between modern agricultural knowledge and its reach to farmers. In this session, he shares insights from his field experiences and discusses how practical guidance, sustainable practices, and thoughtful use of technology can support farmers in improving their livelihoods. The talk also highlights the importance of bridging traditional farming wisdom with modern ideas to create meaningful change. Through these reflections, he presents a hopeful vision for a more sustainable and resilient future for Indian agriculture. Parashram Kailas Akhare is an agritech entrepreneur, rural policy innovator, and Young Professional Fellow at the Department of Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Government of Maharashtra. An electrical engineer shaped at IIT Bombay, he is the founder of Krushi Sarathi — a movement empowering over 30,000 farmers across Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Khandesh. What began during the 2020 lockdown has grown into a ₹5-crore impact-driven enterprise providing market access, soil testing, doorstep agri-inputs, and digital guidance. Recognized by the Maharashtra State Innovation Society, he is redefining agriculture as sustainable, profitable, and dignified. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx