• TAFE’s CSR initiative to support small and marginal farmers
• Farmer-to-Farmer model (F2F) - Farmers can offer all brands of tractors and implements on rent
• Aids rural entrepreneurship and generates additional revenue for farmers

November 14, 2018 | Bhubaneswar, Odisha: TAFE’s 'JFarm Services' is a unique effort and a CSR initiative inline to TAFE’s vision of Cultivating The World to enrich the lives of farmers across India. This initiative has been launched in Odisha jointly with the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Government of Odisha, in the presence of Shri. Naveen Patnaik, the Honorable Chief Minister of Odisha. JFarm Services facilitates the hiring of tractors and modern farm machinery to farmers free of cost.

Agriculture in Odisha is the mainstay of majority of the population and thus, holds the key to socio-economic development of the State. About 91.8%* of the landholdings by area in Odisha are with small and marginal farmers who have limited or no access to agriculture mechanization. 'JFarm Services' aims to increase easy access to farm mechanization solutions through rental of tractors and farm equipment for these small and marginal farmers, provide localized weather forecast, latest mandi prices, agri-news alerts and advisory. JFarm Services proposes to launch its services across all cities and districts in Odisha.

The JFarm Services App will connect tractor owners and Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) operated by tractors and equipment owners directly to farmers seeking farm mechanization solutions, thereby facilitating a fair and transparent rental process while focusing on quality, dependability and timely delivery. JFarm Services offers the farmers and renters a wide range of prospects for hiring and renting of farm equipment and connects them directly to negotiate and fulfill their respective requirement. With this pioneering platform, TAFE brings the benefits of the technology-enabled sharing economy to boost the income of the farmers.

Ms. Mallika Srinivasan, Chairman & CEO - TAFE, said: “India is a land of small farms. A majority of our farmers, almost 85% of them, have no access to farm mechanization which has the potential to improve their yields and income. JFarm Services is a CSR initiative that allows both farmers offering their tractors and farm equipment on rent, and smaller farmers seeking this service benefit directly from the JFarm Services app. It is our aim to touch the lives of millions of farmers across the country as we progress towards the Prime Minister’s vision of doubling farm income by 2022.”

Farmers can hire tractors and equipment via the JFarm Services Android App or by contacting the toll-free helpline 1800-4-200-100. The App can be used on low-cost Android phones and is designed to run on very little data. The JFarm Services App is a stellar example of the Digital India initiative, tailored to benefit the Indian agricultural landscape. This service by TAFE will foster digital empowerment of Indian farmers while creating a breed of new rural entrepreneurs and significant job opportunities.

Mr. T R Kesavan, President & COO, Product Strategy & Corporate Relations - TAFE, said: “TAFE through JFarm Services has collaborated with the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment to support the Government of Odisha in making farm mechanization available to small and marginal farmers through the shared economy model, to create sustainable agricultural productivity and growth for the state.”

With an initial pilot roll-out covering large states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Bihar, JFarm Services has directly benefitted and impacted around 65,000 users resulting in about 125,000 orders, adding up to about 300,000 hours in hired farm machinery usage.

About JFarm and JFarm Services: JFarmServices.in

TAFE established JFarm India in Chennai, Tamil Nadu in 1964 with an objective of empowering farmers with advanced farm technologies to increase farm productivity and meet India’s growing food demands. Over the years, JFarm focuses on sustainable agriculture, adapting existing technologies in farming for local farming conditions and sharing this knowledge with farmers.

JFarm Services is an initiative by TAFE to increase easy access to farm mechanization solutions through rental of tractors and farm equipment for small and large farms, localized weather forecast, latest mandi prices, agri-news alerts and advisory.

Small and marginal farmers, who hold about 85% of the land holdings in India may not be able to afford ownership of tractors or implements. JFarm Services bridges this gap by connecting these farmers with tractor and equipment owners through its Farmer-2-Farmer platform. Farmers can explore and book nearby equipment through:

JFarm Services Android App | OR Toll-free helpline: 1800-4-200-100 / 1800-208-4242

This free app connects tractor owners and Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) operated by tractors and equipment owners directly to farmers seeking farm mechanization solutions, thereby facilitating a fair and transparent rental process while focusing on quality, dependability and timely delivery. JFarm Services offers the farmers and renters a wide range of prospects for hiring and renting of farm equipment and connects them directly to negotiate and fulfill their respective requirement.

With the creation of this platform comprising farm machinery owners and users, JFarm Services has impacted the lives of about 65,000 farmers across 5 states in India since its inception in 2017.

Currently, JFarm Services (JFS) operates in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh (MP), Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar, besides Odisha - making farm mechanization viable and affordable to all.