MARKET RESEARCH ON URBAN FARMING

GIVE GOA 2019-20

( GROUP C-07 )

Faculty Guide : Dr. Pravat Surya Kar

Group Members:

K S Sunil (2019148)
Neeraj Rajnani (2019157)
Pratish Prabhudesai (2019163)
Priyanka Singh (2019164)
Rabprit Singh (2019165)
Sohini Mukhuty (2019177)
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Data and methodology

Analysis of data

Summary and conclusions

Bibliography
INTRODUCTION
Our research is in collaboration with Letcetra Agritech which is India’s first hi-tech vertical
hydroponics indoor farm that produces high quality pesticide-free vegetables.
Statement of the problem: Growing population and urbanization has led to manifold
problems – significant two among these are, diminishing land area for cultivation, and
rampant use of chemical-heavy fertilisers and pesticides to artificially boost agricultural
production to meet the increasing demands of the growing population.
Letcetra Agritech aims to address this issue by popularising the use of indoor and organic
farming using innovative methods like vertical farming as well as advanced technology, to
produce a wide variety of plants, ranging from regular and exotic vegetables and fruits to
ornamental plants – all without the use of pesticides. In order to facilitate this Letcetra is in
the process of designing an app-based platform which looks at bringing together farmers and
farming enthusiasts, agriculture experts, vendors, sellers and consumers of agricultural
products and technology experts in the domain of hydroponics and aquaponics. The task of
our Give Goa team is to gather relevant information from people who practise organic
farming and practise or are interested in hi-tech farming methods like hydroponics and
aquaponics and also understand the challenges they face in the process.
With the rise in lifestyle -related health issues people are gradually becoming more aware of
the importance of eating healthy and therefore are more curious about the source of the food
they eat, the inputs that go in producing the food and are opting for organic alternatives
wherever feasible. Again, the lack of sufficient cultivable land has forced people to innovate
within their available area leading to the emergence of the concept of indoor urban farming,
mainly through the use of organic methods. This concept also includes hydroponics and
aquaponics and extends to farmers who can enhance the productivity of the existing produce
as well as increase the variety of crops grown on the same area of land. However most of
these people are unaware of the technicalities involved in the new age farming methods and
hence do not have a starting point or have experienced unsuccessful attempts at adopting
these methods.
The information collected through our research will help in gaining a wholesome
understanding in the space of organic and urban farming in India – the number of people
who practise it, the plants grown, the challenges and setbacks they might have faced in the
process and the kind of assistance they think would help them in overcoming the same.
As mentioned above, since the app would act as an aggregator of sorts, it will help create an
ecosystem wherein the interested parties benefit through exchange of information and
expertise in the field of indoor organic/ urban farming using hydroponics and aquaponics.

There are 3 chief objectives of the research as listed below:

1) Create a database of all vendors/consultants/trainers in the space of urban farming or
high-tech farming, for household as well as commercial purposes.
2) Find the compounded annual growth rate of urban farming in Goa and pan India
including market size, growth rate year on year.

3) To make a study and collect data regarding the pain points faced by existing
organic/urban/ high-techfarmers.
DATA AND METHODOLOGY

DATA COLLECTION
The present study is mainly based on primary data. Interview schedule was used to collect
the primary data from the respondents. A well-structured interview schedule was prepared
after consulting the experts in the field. It was subjected to pre-tested for suitability and
adequacy. After the necessary modifications, it was finalised. The interview schedule was
administered among the selected respondents at their convenience. Observation and visits to
organic farms enriched the knowledge and understanding of the researcher on the life, work
and organic farm practices of the respondents. The field work for collection of the primary
data was made during 2019-20. The relevant secondary data were collected from the books,
journals, magazines, reports and records. The information available in website was also used
in the study.

METHODOLOGIES
We conducted market research by visiting various farms across Goa and have also sent mail
to organic farms in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra to cover pan India via survey forms.
We conducted interviews with the farmers to understand their pain points. Since certain
inquiries were just proper to one or two of the groups of farms sampled, the poll was planned
with a core targeted to all, but provided separate pathways for specific questions to each
group. Extensively, it will be intended to get data on farm size, structure and area of
respondents; a progression of articulations intended to test their frames of mind with respect
to transformation to natural cultivating; comparable proclamation sets as to promoting and
augmentation issues; and explicit inquiries worried.
Since it is basically a market research project various market research method were used to
accomplish its goals. We conducted a market survey to understand the farmers take on
organic farming and their major pain point areas.

HYPOTHESES
Following hypotheses were formulated and tested for finding out the relationships and
associations between and among the selected variables of the study:

 The ‘respondents’ level of perception about organic farming is independent of their age
 The ‘respondents’ level of perception is independent of their caste status , religion
 The respondents’ level of perception is independent of their marital status
 The respondents’ level of perception about organic farming is independent of their
level of education’
 The respondents’ level of perception about organic farming is independent of their
family income
 Size of land used by the respondents for organic farming is independent of their level
of perception about organic farming
 Perception of the respondents about organic farming is independent of their
motivation for practising organising farming
The step wise methodology that was used is DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH DESIGN.
SAMPLE SIZE USED: 30
SOURCES OF DATA: Primary (Questionnaire and Interview Method)
Secondary (Newspapers, brochures, Manual Report)

 A pilot survey was created before finalising the questionnaire

 Data collection was also with help of personal observation
 After completion of survey the data was analysed and conclusion drawn
 At the end all information was compiled to complete the project report.

SAMPLE AREA: Goa and Pan India

SAMPLING:
Selecting the sample: Population that was taken as sample included randomly
selection of hi-tech or organic farms
Sample Technique: Simple Random Sampling

Primary Research: Primary research was conducted through surveys via:

a. Interaction with the farmers at their farms

b. Telephonic interviews

Preparation and tabulation of data: After all the data is collected, it was entered
into Microsoft excel and was prepared for analysis.
Data Analysis: The data so collected was analysed in Microsoft excel with help of bar
diagrams, pivot charts
Finally, the information thus obtained from the survey was used to meet the research
objectives.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Farmers are not trained in maintaining records and they do not maintain any record; but
could give information from their memory. Therefore, the particulars and details collected
from them are not without recall bias. However, care has been taken to validate their
estimates only after possible cross-checking. As the data collected related to one year only
and that too confined to a particular area, the findings of the study have to be generalized to
other situations with caution. Only through the NGOs the farmers practicing the organic
farmers were identified as there is no statistics available on them. In few cases, it became
very difficult to identify the farmers who are practicing organic farming throughout the year.
ANALYSIS OF DATA
After collecting the farms data across 27 different farms, we observed the most common pain
points faced by farmers are as follows:

 Lack of Pest control

 Lack of support from government
 Vendor management issues
 Lack of advertising for the product
 Wild animals, monkeys etc
 Storage and costing problems

One of the main issues the farmers are facing is lack of profits. That is no much return on
investments. The profit range is around 20%. As the cost associated are high, due to
unpredictable circumstances the farmers are liable to face loss.
The suppliers/vendors and customers of the farmers are:

 Goa Bagayatdar
 Local markets
 Nearby hotels/ Resorts
 Local People

During the survey conducted the farmers were asked to rate the overall problems faced on
the scale of 1 to 10. And the results are as follows:

Rating of Overall Problem

No of farms
faced by farms
1 2
2 3
3 8
4 4
5 4
6 4
7 1
9 1

Out of the 27 farms, 8 farms reported an overall problem faced on the scale of 1 to 10 as 3. 4
farms reported a problem of rating 4, 5 and 6 respectively.

Level of problem faced by organisations

9
8
No of organisations

7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Overall problem faced by organisations
When we break down the problem faced as follows:

 Rate the problems faced according to conditions indicated [Germination]

 Rate the problems faced according to conditions indicated [Growth stage]
 Rate the problems faced according to conditions indicated [External factors (soil,
climate, etc)]
 Rate the problems faced according to conditions indicated [Pests]
 Rate the problems faced according to conditions indicated [Costing]
 Rate the problems faced according to conditions indicated [storage]

The above graph contains the ratings given by the farms to the above questions asked
respectively. This allows us to identify which farm faces highest problem according to given
stages namely: Germination, Growth, External factors, Pests, Costing and Storage.
Hence we can allot the farms according to the problems they are facing the most, so our
client would be able to identify accordingly and provide consulting according to the need and
situation.

Finally, when we asked them about their interest in

Inte re s te d i n the field of Hydroponics or Aquaponics 70% gave us a
Hydrophoni cs /Aquaphoni cs
positive response.

30%
Interested in
Count
Hydrophonics/Aquaphonics
70%

Yes 19

No
Yes No 8
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
Our project included market research in collaboration with Letcetra Agri-tech which is
India’s first hi-tech vertical hydroponics indoor farm that produces high quality pesticide-free
vegetables. We were required to do collect data from various organic farms in Goa and PAN
India, regarding various pain points of farmers in the process of growing exotic vegetables
and how urban farming using Hi-tech farming methods can solve their problem.

During our Give Goa project we collected data from 27 farms that are growing organic
vegetables. For collecting the data from these farms, we used questionnaire which were
circulated in different farms in Maharashtra and Andra Pradesh, while we covered most of
the farms in North Goa and South Goa by visiting them in person and talking to the owners
of these farms, to understand their pain areas. The most common pain points faced by
farmers were, Lack of Pest control, Lack of support from government, Vendor management
issues, Lack of advertising for the product, Wild animals, monkeys and Storage and costing
problems. Also profitability was a major issue with most of these farms. Keeping in mind all
these, we asked every farm owner about their interest in Hi-tech farming methods for their
farm. Out of 27 farm surveyed, 19 were interested in Hi-tech farming methods while rest
eight were yet not sure. We also calculated CAGR of agriculture produce of last three years
across India. This will help our client understand more about the growth of the sector while
the data we collected will be helpful in marketing the product of our client. Our project
included market research in collaboration with Letcetra Agri-tech which is India’s first hi-
tech vertical hydroponics indoor farm that produces high quality pesticide-free vegetables.
We were required to do collect data from various organic farms in Goa and PAN India,
regarding various pain points of farmers in the process of growing exotic vegetables and how
urban farming using Hi-tech farming methods can solve their problem.

During our Give Goa project we collected data from 27 farms that are growing organic
vegetables. For collecting the data from these farms, we used questionnaire which were
circulated in different farms in Maharashtra and Andra Pradesh, while we covered most of
the farms in North Goa and South Goa by visiting them in person and talking to the owners
of these farms, to understand their pain areas. The most common pain points faced by
farmers were, Lack of Pest control, Lack of support from government, Vendor management
issues, Lack of advertising for the product, Wild animals, monkeys and Storage and costing
problems. Also profitability was a major issue with most of these farms. Keeping in mind all
these, we asked every farm owner about their interest in Hi-tech farming methods for their
farm. Out of 27 farm surveyed, 19 were interested in Hi-tech farming methods while rest
eight were yet not sure. We also calculated CAGR of agriculture produce of last three years
across India. This will help our client understand more about the growth of the sector while
the data we collected will be helpful in marketing the product of our client.
BIBLIOGRAPHY