IIC (Impact Investors Council) Newsletter

The Problem Statement:

The problem we are addressing revolves around two key issues: malnutrition and food insecurity.
Malnutrition arises from the unavailability of nutritious vegetables, which are essential for a well-balanced diet. Without access to nutrient-rich produce, individuals suffer from health complications.
On the other hand, food insecurity stems from the irregular availability and unaffordable prices of nutritious vegetables.
These challenges persist primarily due to the absence of a sustainable farming methodology that can provide a reliable and affordable source of fresh and nutritious vegetables.

How is Eeki addressing it?

Our goal is to transform the way of growing vegetables and make them accessible to everyone through sustainable low-cost production, catering to people from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
Our farming technology comprises of our patented growing chambers and an automation system:

1. Growing Chambers: Our innovative growing chambers are made of a special polymer composite. This composite creates the ideal environment for plants’ root zones.
With these optimal conditions, we are able to cultivate high-quality vegetables throughout the year, regardless of geographical locations.

The chambers not only facilitate better nutrient uptake and processing but also allow for direct monitoring of the roots to promptly identify and address any potential infections.

Furthermore, we strive for continuous improvement in our technology.
- Our first-generation growing chambers, which are operational at our farms, can reduce the root zone temperature by 15°C compared to the farm’s ambient temperature.
- Building on this success, we developed a second-generation growing chamber that can lower the root zone temperature by 25°C compared to the ambient temperature, and it is currently in commercial production.
2. IoT/Automation System: Our robust automation system plays a vital role in streamlining essential farm operations such as irrigation and climate control.
Our IoT control mechanism consists of sensor, master, and controller that are seamlessly managed through our in-house built farm operation dashboard. The dashboard plays a crucial role in our farming operations by offering remote control capabilities and serving as a centralised repository for essential farm and plant data, fulfilling three main purposes:
- Representing data graphically
- Analyzing farm operations for optimization
- Facilitating data-driven device operations
This enables easy visualisation, informed decision-making, and seamless control of farm devices.

This cohesive system ensures optimal ambient conditions for the crops. By automating irrigation, it facilitates the timely recirculation of nutrient-rich water, allowing the plants to efficiently absorb essential nutrients.

Additionally, an in-house developed farm operations mobile application offers the convenience of remotely operating the farm’s devices to minimise manual errors and increase the overall efficiency. This cutting-edge platform enables the capture and analysis of crucial production data of the plants, empowering them to take timely and informed actions for optimal outcomes.
Eeki's impact is evident in our expansive farms, covering 7 acres of land across the country, with an additional 35 acres currently under construction. We have ambitious plans to establish farm clusters spread across thousands of acres across the nation, with the first one already underway in Lakheri, Rajasthan, and forthcoming clusters in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat by year-end.

These farm clusters allow us to ensure widespread availability of our nutritious produce, reaching every corner of the nation. Moreover, our farms are established in collaboration with farm partners, utilising their unproductive land by offering them attractive returns.
And all our farms are built in underserved areas, allowing us to generate numerous employment opportunities for rural unskilled labour. Through comprehensive measures encompassing skill training, improved working conditions, and the implementation of best-in-class policies, we are dedicated to nurturing the personal and professional growth of our workforce.

Image Source: Website of Eekifoods

Climate impact

Environmental sustainability is a fundamental aspect of our farming practices.

Our commitment to conserving resources is evident through our water management strategy, which enables us to save up to 90% of water compared to conventional farming methods.
Furthermore, our farms are equipped with solar panels, harnessing renewable energy sources to meet our electricity needs and reducing our reliance on conventional sources of electricity.
Additionally, our medium-less farming approach, which eliminates the need for soil or coco-peat, minimizes greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to climate change mitigation.

In conclusion, our sustainable farming technology, coupled with efficient farming practices, enables us to achieve a remarkable 18 times increase in yield per unit area compared to traditional soil-based Indian farming methods.

Future outlook

Furthermore, Eeki has always been focused on developing cost-effective farming technology. In line with that, we are working on various aspects of our technology:

We're currently developing the third-generation of our growing chambers that will match the performance of the second-generation system while also lowering manufacturing costs by 30%.
In addition, we’re also developing machine learning based technologies to enable predictive disease analysis. By analyzing key factors such as leaf health, surface area, and color spectrum, we aim to proactively detect and address potential nutritional deficiencies and pest attacks before they manifest, ensuring robust health of our crops.
Currently, we have successfully formulated crop-specific nutrition recipes for cucumbers and a diverse range of tomato varieties. Moreover, our ongoing efforts include the development of optimal nutrition recipes for other staple vegetables such as bottle gourd, chilies, and peppers.

Our goal for the future is to provide a wide range of delicious and nutritious produce that meets diverse tastes and dietary requirements.

By providing affordable, fresh produce all year round, we're making a tangible impact on people's lives and creating a future where everyone has access to nutritious food. This is not just a technological achievement, but a necessary one that has the power to improve the quality of life for us as well as for the future generations to come.

Mr. Abhay Singh, Co-Founder and CEO, Eekifoods is a visionary entrepreneur with a diverse skill set that he has applied to revolutionizing the food industry. With a background in materials and embedded systems development, prior to Eekifoods, Abhay worked as an Embedded System Developer at Vogo Automotive Pvt. Ltd. and as a Computer Vision specialist at Embryyo. He holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Materials from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. With his innovative mindset and expertise in technology, Abhay has played a crucial role in developing Eeki Foods' advanced growing chambers and remote plant management system, enabling efficient and sustainable farming practices.

Background of Eekifoods

Eekifoods is a pioneering vegetable growing company in India, committed to providing chemical-free and nutritious produce for daily households. Through their innovative growing chambers and remote management technology, Eekifoods ensures residue-free, fresh, and consistent vegetable production. By leveraging advanced techniques, they focus on delivering sustainable and eco-friendly solutions, making a significant contribution to the future of green and healthy eating in India.

Innovation Spotlight

Eekifoods: Making farming climate-proof