‘Uber for tractors’: Government to launch app to aid farmers

  1. The agriculture ministry has developed a farm equipment rental app for Indian farmers called Uber for tractors.
  2. The app will allow the farmers to hire tractors, rotavator and other farm related machinery on rent for with flexible tenure.
  3. The farmers who wish to hire equipment can register using their names, addresses and mobile numbers and then punch in their requirements.
  4. The app will connect farmers to 38,000 custom hiring centres(CHCs) across the country which rent out 2.5 lakh pieces of farm equipment every year.
  5. The app will then show farmers the CHCs which have the equipment available near his location.The farmer can then call the CHC or just use the app to book the equipment at a specific time and location and it will turn up just like an Uber.
  6. The app will also create an invaluable database for policy-makers who can track the use and cost of equipment. 
  7. The system would also help to track the usage of new technology that the government wants to promote such as the Happy Seeder that aims to prevent stubble burning that causes air pollution or solar dryers that can help farmers process and preserve their produce.