Kheyti, an Indian startup, has developed a simple solution that is already having a considerable impact. Kheyti creates low-cost farming solutions that help small farmers grow more. It was set up to provide India's small-hold farmers with low-cost greenhouses to protect their crops.
At the centre of Kheyti's work is its Greenhouse-in-a-Box, built specifically for small-hold farmers and the crops they grow. The solution offers shelter from unpredictable elements and destructive pests, helping farmers protect their harvests and grow more consistently. Greenhouse-in-a-Box enables a farmer's transition from climate extremes to extreme prosperity, unlocking long-term profitability and security. Smallholder farmers get to tap into the power of the smart farming revolution. Kheyti is present in eight states: Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. It supports farmers in growing over 20 types of vegetables, herbs, fruits and flowers. It has already reached more than 7,000 farmers.
Kheyti pairs its greenhouse product with practical support on the ground. Alongside providing Greenhouse-in-a-Box, Kheyti also trains and supports farmers to ensure their greenhouse is as effective as possible. By 2027, Kheyti wants 50,000 farmers to have a Greenhouse-in-a-Box. Kheyti's approach has gained global recognition. It is the winner of the Earthshot Prize, founded by Prince William, in 2022. The awards celebrate the most innovative solutions to the world's environmental challenges and are named in honour of former US President John F Kennedy's 1962 Moonshot plan, which aimed to place a man upon the moon within a decade. Kheyti is the 2022 Protect and Restore Nature winner. According to The Earthshot Prize's official website, Kheyti's greenhouse is 90% cheaper than a standard greenhouse.
According to The Earthshot Prize's official website, the impact on farms is significant. Plants in the greenhouse require 98% less water than those outdoors and yields are seven-times higher. The same source notes that Kheyti is more than doubling farmers' incomes, helping them invest more in their farms and their children's education. With reduced water use and fewer pesticides, the model also supports a more sustainable way of farming, while protecting crops from damaging pests and unpredictable weather.
Kheyti is led by three co-founders with experience across social enterprise, sustainable agriculture and impact-driven programmes.
Kaushik Kappagantulu is a seasoned leader with 15 years of experience in social enterprise. Before launching Kheyti, Kappagantulu spent five years as a leadership team member of B-ABLE, a social enterprise that connects school dropouts to mainstream careers through high quality training and placement services. He was the first employee at B-ABLE and helped the company scale from its first training centre to 200 centres across 14 states training more than 50,000 school dropouts yearly. A graduate of IIT Kharagpur and Columbia Business School, Kappagantulu's dedication to social impact has earned him prestigious recognitions, including the Elevate Prize and the EarthShot Prize. On Kheyti's journey, Kappagantulu told BBC, “I visited thousands of villages across India, speaking to farmers. They talked about how it wasn't their hard work that decided whether they succeeded or failed. It was the heat, rain or pests, and things were getting worse every year. Our mission is to increase incomes for small hold farmers, through low-cost greenhouses. Our greenhouses are made of a steel structure and plastic covering materials, and they're designed to last for about 15 years. We're looking into how we recycle or upcycle them after that too.”
Ayush Sharma is a social entrepreneur with 13 years of experience in the social enterprise sector. As the former CEO of CosmosGreen, he led efforts to provide a suite of services to over 8,000 farmers, supporting sustainable agriculture. An expert in sustainable farming practices, Sharma also managed farms across 250 acres for seven years. He holds a degree from IFMR and is passionate about creating lasting impact in the agricultural sector through innovation and sustainability.
Saumya Sahay is a social entrepreneur with 10 years of experience in the field. She is the ex-founder of Yellowleaf, a social enterprise dedicated to helping blue-collar workers access overseas job opportunities. A graduate of St. Stephen's College and Kellogg School of Management, Sahay has been recognised in Forbes 30 Under 30 for her work in social innovation and worker empowerment.
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