Web-Enablement Of The Indian Farmer:
The e-Choupal Initiative
 ITC’s globally awarded e-Choupal initiative is a powerful illustration of a unique business model that delivers large societal value by co-creating rural markets with local communities. The e-Choupal digital infrastructure enables even small and marginalised farmers, who are de-linked from the formal market, to access relevant knowledge, market prices, weather information and quality inputs to enhance farm productivity, quality and command better prices – making them more competitive in the national and global markets. Customised agri-extension services and farmer training schools through a focused programme ‘Choupal Pradarshan Khet’ enables farmers to access best practices in agriculture and improve productivity. Physical infrastructure in the form of ‘Choupal Saagars’ – integrated rural service hubs – provide the physical connect to
markets and to a host of services. Farmer ‘sanchalaks’, with significant capacity-building and focused
training by ITC, today offer a host of products and services that enrich
rural communities. Together, the digital-physical-human infrastructure has led
to the creation of a two-way efficient channel raising farmer incomes
and productivity, transforming rural communities into vibrant markets.
The network currently comprises 6,500 e-Choupals reaching out to more than 4 million farmers in 40,000 villages in the states of Madhya Pradesh,
Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttaranchal, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
 Mission Sunehra Kal:
Social Sector Investments
Mission Sunehra Kal, the focused programme of ITC that channels its investment and managerial resources to deliver high quality social development projects deepened its imprint this year by expanding its reach to 50 districts. These projects are located in the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh,
West Bengal and Bihar. Together these programmes impact nearly 2.11 lakh households and over
11 lakh individuals who are directly benefited by the various interventions spread over 3,805 villages. The social sector investment initiatives also cover 30 agri business hubs and 238 e-Choupals.
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