Bayer Strengthens Phygital Connect with Indian Farmers as FarmRise App Crosses 5 Million Users

22 May 2026, Mumbai: Bayer has announced the continued expansion of its phygital ecosystem for Indian farmers, led by FarmRise, its farmer-focused digital platform, alongside a growing portfolio of Direct-to-Farmer (D2F) digital initiatives spanning advisory services, insurance, credit access, market linkages and sustainable farming solutions.

The announcement was made in Mumbai on May 12, 2026, highlighting Bayer’s efforts to strengthen farmer engagement through a combination of on-ground expertise and digital innovation.

FarmRise has emerged as one of India’s most impactful agri-tech platforms, reaching more than 5 million registered farmers across the country. Built around the practical needs of farmers, the mobile application integrates agronomy advisory, local weather updates, mandi prices, government schemes and crop-specific information through a simple and user-friendly interface. The platform currently supports more than nine Indian languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu, making it accessible even to first-time smartphone users in rural areas.

By simplifying access to timely and credible agricultural information, FarmRise is helping bridge the digital divide while improving farmers’ decision-making capabilities.

A major feature of the platform is its anti-counterfeit (ACF) scanning capability, which enables farmers to verify the authenticity of agricultural products directly through the app. The feature has already recorded more than 10 million scans, helping create awareness around product safety and strengthening trust in genuine agricultural inputs.

FarmRise is also leveraging artificial intelligence to make farmer engagement faster, more efficient and result-oriented. Bayer’s in-house developed AI-powered chatbot, launched in 2025, provides instant responses to crop and farm-related queries in simple language, reducing dependency on physical touchpoints for routine advisory services. The chatbot has so far handled nearly 25,000 farmer queries, enabling scalable access to expert guidance anytime and anywhere.

Over the past 18 months, FarmRise has witnessed strong growth in app installations, monthly active users and feature adoption, reflecting increasing farmer engagement and relevance of the platform.

While FarmRise serves as the core engagement platform, it forms part of Bayer’s broader Direct2Farmer (D2F) ecosystem designed to address multiple farmer requirements across the agricultural value chain.

One of the key initiatives under this ecosystem is FarmRise One, a digital marketplace integrated with on-ground operations that currently supports more than 500 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and over 200,000 farmers. The platform enables farmers to access agricultural inputs from Bayer and its partner network, avail credit from multiple lenders and connect directly with premium buyers to secure better prices for their produce while helping FPOs improve margins.

Bayer has also introduced Alivio, a digital platform that uses high-resolution satellite data to provide plot-based insights and plot-level risk protection for smallholder farmers facing weather uncertainties. Unlike conventional insurance models, Alivio triggers instant benefits whenever agronomic thresholds are breached, allowing farmers to redeem support immediately at nearby Bayer retail outlets for seeds and crop protection products. The offering is currently available for selected crops such as onion and corn and is expected to expand to additional crops during the year.

Complementing these initiatives is the Ask Deena WhatsApp Chatbot, which supports Bayer’s Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) programme through DirectAcres by guiding farmers on sustainable and resource-efficient rice cultivation practices. Ask Deena has already engaged more than 25,000 farmers across major rice-growing states in India.

Together, these digital platforms enable Bayer to engage with farmers not only on agronomy but also on sustainability, market access and risk management, while using digital intelligence and AI-driven insights to tailor interventions more effectively.

“FarmRise is not just an app, it is becoming a strong digital foundation for how we engage with farmers at scale,” said Simon Wiebusch, Country Divisional Head, Crop Science Division of Bayer for India, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka. “Technology for us is not about replacing relationships; it is about amplifying trust by combining our field expertise with digital and AI-driven solutions.”

Bayer stated that its digital platforms are part of the company’s broader phygital approach, combining more than 160 years of global agricultural expertise with the power of digital technologies. Alongside its strong field presence, the company continues to invest in digital outreach and data-driven tools to strengthen farmer engagement across multiple touchpoints.

As India’s agri-tech ecosystem continues to evolve, Bayer believes its phygital model demonstrates how trusted relationships, deep agricultural expertise and thoughtful adoption of technology, including AI, can create meaningful impact at scale. By strengthening FarmRise and expanding complementary platforms such as Alivio, FarmRise One and Ask Deena, Bayer aims to further empower Indian farmers while contributing to a more resilient and sustainable agricultural future.

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