Sharanya Mehta, a Class 12 student, found her calling. Summers spent in Alwar, observing wilted plants and cracked soil, ignited a desire to help farmers manage irrigation better. “I kept wondering, was there a way to measure, to predict, to guide farmers better?” she recalls. Her curiosity sowed the seeds of what would become a Decision Support System (DSS) app, blending technology with local agricultural needs.

From Idea to Innovation: Shaping the DSS

Sharanya’s vision crystallized when she met Commodore Sridhar Kotra, military veteran and co-founder of Agrimatrix India Pvt Ltd, during her Rural Community Development Program (RCDP) work. He guided her in assembling agronomy datasets, considering crop-specific water requirements, soil types, and weather patterns. Sharanya insisted that user-friendliness be central to the system: voice prompts, offline access, and local languages ensured farmers could easily adopt the technology. “We made every feature only after farmers asked for it,” she says. This focus on usability transformed her DSS from a conceptual idea into a practical tool that villagers could trust.

Technology at Work: Sensors, Satellites, and Smart Data

By early 2025, Sharanya’s project had developed into a fully functional system. The Decision Support System (DSS) combines multiple technologies to help farmers manage irrigation efficiently. Soil sensors, placed at two depths (0–30 cm and 30–60 cm), monitor moisture levels, while satellite data from ISRO Bhuvan and Sentinel-2 tracks crop stress zones using the NDMI (Normalized Difference Moisture Index).

The system also integrates weather forecasts for rainfall, temperature, wind, and evapotranspiration. All this data is processed in real time through cloud-based analysis using Python and Node.js on AWS/Azure to provide accurate irrigation recommendations. Farmers access the information through a mobile app that shows colour-coded moisture maps, two-week irrigation schedules, alerts, and voice/video guides. The app supports multiple local languages, including Hindi, Tamil, and Marathi, and works offline to ensure reliability even in areas with poor connectivity.

Smart Solutions, Thriving Fields

Sharanya’s DSS was rolled out following a clear, step-by-step plan. From January to March, she visited farmers in Mandaura to understand their challenges and design the first app concepts. In April and May, she selected sensors, integrated satellite data, developed the backend, and tested app mock-ups for simplicity. By June, sensors were deployed, and farmers began entering field data and following irrigation guidance. In July, the system underwent lab tests to ensure it worked under heat, dust, and humidity, while Vizexec Transformation in Gurgaon validated the software and Loyli Engineering Solutions in Pune tested the pump controller. In August, full-scale field trials began, and farmers used the DSS to save water and diesel. That same month, Sharanya received the CREST Gold Award and secured a provisional patent for her system, covering its decision engine, real-time integrations, and multilingual interface.

Helping Farmers Make Every Drop Count

The DSS works through three connected phases. In data collection, soil sensors measure moisture hourly, satellite NDMI readings identify stress zones, weather forecasts predict rainfall and evaporation, and farmers input crop type, sowing date, and soil profile. Next, the analysis and decision engine uses cloud-based algorithms to combine real-time data with agronomic rules and calculate precise irrigation schedules. Finally, in advice delivery, the app provides actionable guidance through colour-coded maps, alerts, and voice or video instructions. In cases where pumps are automated, the DSS can directly trigger irrigation, saving both fuel and labor. 

Sharanya’s DSS tackles key challenges faced by farmers. It conserves water by optimizing irrigation and reducing unnecessary pumping, saves diesel through automated schedules, and improves crop health by preventing stress from drought or excess water. It also empowers farmers, giving clear guidance that boosts confidence and reduces guesswork. Farmers now begin their day with assurance instead of worry, checking soil moisture and forecasts before taking action.