TAFE – Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited, India’s second largest tractor manufacturer, has announced the launch of ‘JFarm Services App’ – a mobile app-based aggregator platform which facilitates hiring of tractors and modern farm machinery for farmers in Rajasthan, at the Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM), Kota. Available on Google Play Store, the JFarm Services App is free and will connect Custom Hiring Centres (CHC) operated by tractors and equipment owners directly to farmers who need farm mechanization services and solutions, thereby facilitating a fair and transparent rental process while focusing on quality, dependability and timely delivery. 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. JFarm Services will also be available to farmers on call through a dedicated toll-free number 1800-4-200-100.
Out of the 95 CHCs allotted through subsidy to TAFE, 38 have been identified across six zones in the
State – Bharatpur, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Jalore, Kota and Sikar.
In November 2016, TAFE inaugurated ‘JFarm Rajasthan’, an advanced agri-research centre in Bhawanimandi in the Jhalawar district. As a next step, the launch of the JFarm Services App along with the identification of these physical CHC franchisees creates a hub where farmers gain access to specialized equipment and JFarm Rajasthan’s agri-extension services including modern farm practices, technical know-how, high-yielding crop varieties, crop protection, organic and sustainable farming, besides customized and specially designed training programmes by leading agri-scientists.
JFarm Services – the aggregator platform in its pilot phase has enrolled over 450 Custom Hiring Centres and suppliers and has connected them to over 25,000 farmers.
Speaking on the app launch, Ms. Mallika Srinivasan, Chairman & CEO - TAFE,said, “The JFarm Services App is a milestone in TAFE’s journey of Cultivating the World. With the JFarm Services mobile app, TAFE aims to empower the farming community by creating a viable model for the farmers and the Custom Hirers to conduct transactions in a fair and transparent manner. These initiatives are directed towards building a sustainable livelihood for farmers, while preparing them to remain self-sufficient by increasing farm productivity.”
Mr. T R Kesavan, President & COO - TAFE, said, “As a trusted brand among the farming community in Rajasthan, TAFE through its JFarm Services aggregator model, plans to enrol 10,000-15,000 Custom Hiring Centers in the first two years of operation and positively impact the farming community by reaching out to 500,000 farmers.”
