An early-stage AgriTech company had developed a precision irrigation technology targeting smallholder farmers in Maharashtra and Karnataka. The founding team had deep technical expertise but limited market insight into farmer adoption behavior, willingness to pay, distribution channel preference, and the influence of government subsidy schemes on purchase decisions.
Research Approach
Robas Research designed a ground-level primary research program combining 800 face-to-face surveys with smallholder farmers in 40 villages across two states with 20 in-depth interviews with progressive farmers, input dealers, and agricultural extension officers. Research instruments were developed in Marathi and Kannada to ensure authentic respondent engagement.
Insights Generated
- Awareness of precision irrigation technology was low but attitudinal openness was high among farmers who had experienced water scarcity
- The primary purchase barrier was upfront cost, not technology skepticism; subsidy linkage was the single most important purchase enabler
- Input dealers and progressive farmer networks were the most trusted information channels, significantly ahead of digital media
- Optimal price points were 30% below the company’s original pricing assumptions
Business Impact
The startup used the research to restructure its go-to-market approach, partnering with state government subsidy schemes, recruiting progressive farmers as demonstration sites, and engaging input dealers as the primary distribution channel. The revised GTM strategy was successfully presented to a Series A investor, who cited the quality of the market research as a key factor in their investment decision.