Hackathon
Agri Innovation Hackathon 2026 - Solve for Kadapa
Inviting practical, scalable solutions for improving farmer income, water use efficiency, post-harvest systems and market access.
Who Can Participate
Note: Participation is free of cost.
Problem Tracks & Detailed Challenge Statements
Track 1: Market Intelligence, Price Forecasting & Crop Planning
Background:
YSR Kadapa district is a major horticulture hub with crops like banana, chilli and sweet orange.
However, farmers frequently face price crashes and distress sales due to lack of predictive
market intelligence. Cropping decisions are made without forward price signals.
Challenge Statement:
Design solutions that enable predictive market intelligence and crop planning to support
better decision-making by farmers and administrators.
Indicative Focus Areas:
- Price prediction and market trend analysis
- Integration of mandi, e-NAM and regional data
- Crop planning tools at mandal/district level
- Farmer-facing information and alert systems
- Supply-demand and arrival estimation
- Reduction in distress sales
- Improved crop planning decisions
- Increased farmer income stability
Track 2: Precision Agriculture, Smart Irrigation & Automation
Background:
Kadapa district has significant adoption of drip irrigation and fertigation systems,
particularly in horticulture. However, precision agriculture remains fragmented,
expensive, and not uniformly accessible, especially for small and marginal farmers.
Real-time advisory systems for irrigation, nutrients, and crop management are limited,
and most farmers continue to rely on conventional practices.
There is a need to make precision agriculture affordable, scalable, and farmer-friendly.
Challenge Statement:
Design solutions that improve precision agriculture adoption through affordable,
scalable, and real-time farm management systems.
Indicative Focus Areas:
- Smart irrigation and fertigation management approaches
- Real-time crop and soil monitoring systems
- Pest and disease advisory linked to crop stages
- Automation of farm operations
- Farmer-friendly decision-support tools
- Improved water and input use efficiency
- Increased productivity with reduced costs
- Wider adoption of precision farming practices
Track 3: Market Linkages, Value Chain & Agro Processing
Background:
Farmers in Kadapa often face challenges in accessing reliable markets, resulting in low price
realisation and dependence on intermediaries. Aggregation through FPOs is still developing,
and value addition at farm or local level remains limited. Post-harvest losses, lack of grading,
storage, and processing infrastructure further reduce farmer income.
Strengthening market linkages and value chains is critical to transforming agriculture into a market-oriented system.
Challenge Statement:
Design solutions that strengthen market linkages and value chain systems to improve
farmer access to markets and enhance value realisation.
Indicative Focus Areas:
- Farmer-to-buyer and FPO-based market linkage systems
- Aggregation and logistics optimization approaches
- Post-harvest handling, grading, and storage solutions
- Local processing and value addition models
- Market access and traceability systems
- Improved price realisation for farmers
- Reduction in post-harvest losses
- Stronger market-oriented agricultural systems
Track 4: Climate Resilient & Sustainable Agriculture Systems with Integrated Advisory Support
Background:
YSR Kadapa district is predominantly dryland, with variable rainfall patterns and increasing climate risks affecting crop productivity and farmer incomes. While sustainable practices such as natural farming and resource-efficient methods are being promoted, their adoption remains limited due to inadequate and fragmented advisory systems.
At present, farmer advisory services are delivered through multiple channels, but often lack integration, continuity, and real-time responsiveness. As a result, farmers do not always receive timely, location-specific, and actionable guidance.
There is a need to develop climate-resilient agricultural systems supported by integrated, data-driven, and farmer-centric advisory mechanisms to enable better decision-making and long-term sustainability.
Challenge Statement:
Design integrated solutions that enhance climate resilience and sustainability in agriculture by combining climate-smart practices with effective, real-time advisory and institutional support systems.
Indicative Focus Areas:
- Weather-based advisory and early warning systems
- Climate risk assessment and mitigation tools
- Climate-resilient cropping models for dryland conditions
- Integrated farmer advisory platforms (multi-department convergence)
- Real-time, localized decision-support systems for farmers
- Strengthening last-mile extension and service delivery mechanisms
- Resource-efficient and sustainable farming approaches (natural farming, water-use efficiency)
- Integration of renewable energy and low-cost technologies in agriculture
- Reduced climate-related risks for farmers
- Improved sustainability and resource efficiency
- Better adaptation to changing agro-climatic conditions
Awards & Recognition
A single winning team will be awarded for the best practical and implementable solution across all thematic tracks. In addition, all teams shortlisted for the final round will receive a participation grant.
Participation is free of cost.
Top solutions will be presented before District Administration and may be considered for pilot implementation support.
Timeline